Sonography of the canine stifle

When diagnosing disease of the stifle in dogs ultrasonography is a good add ition to clinical and radiological examination. Radiology can evaluate the bony aspects of the joint and their relationship to each other. In contrast , sonography allows visualization of the soft tissue. For most evaluations the 7.5 MHz linear scanner is suited best. Normal stifles of 58 dogs of dif ferent breeds were evaluated using a standardized examination procedure. Th is procedure had been derived from that used in humans. The stifle is divid ed into several regions which are examined and evaluated. These are the sup rapatellar, infrapatellar, lateral, caudal and medial region. One hundred t wenty seven patients which had problems associated with the stifle joint we re examined sonographically after a clinical and radiographic exam. Osteoch ondrosis dissecans, ruptured cranial cruciate ligament, meniscal damage, ar thritis, tumor, post surgical conditions, injuries of the patella, patellar ligament or tibial tuberosity and luxating patella were examined sonograph ically and the findings recorded.