A COMPARISON OF COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY TO EPIDUROGRAPHY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF SUSPECTED COMPRESSIVE LESIONS AT THE LUMBOSACRAL JUNCTION IN DOGS

Twenty-six dogs with suspected lumbosacral (LS) compressive lesions un derwent both epidurography and computed tomography (CT) at the LS junc tion. The radiographic studies were blindly evaluated for lesion detec tion by two specialists, each experienced with the respective imaging technique. The evaluators agreed in 19 cases (73%), seven of which wer e assessed normal and 12 which were assessed abnormal. There was disag reement on seven (27%) of the cases, with five considered abnormal wit h CTs that were assessed normal with epidurography. Two cases were con sidered abnormal with epidurographies that were assessed as normal wit h CT. Analysis indicated a statistically high degree of correlation be tween the results of the tests. We conclude that either epidurography or CT can be used as the routine imaging test for suspected compressiv e LS lesions in dogs with a high expectation that the other test will be in agreement. The addition of the alternate test can be reserved fo r those cases in which the results of the first test are either equivo cal or negative, and further lesion determination remains critical for proper case management. Sample images representative of various degre es of normality/abnormality are presented.