Accuracy of ultrasonography in detecting fragmentation of the medial coronoid process in dogs

• Published in: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Vol. 234; no. 4; pp. 480 - 485
• Main Authors: Seyrek-Intas, Deniz, Michele, Ursula, Tacke, Sabine, Kramer, Martin, Gerwing, Martin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 15.02.2009
• Subjects: accuracy; animal pathology; Animals; bone diseases; bone formation; bone fractures; coronoid process; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diagnosis, Differential; disease diagnosis; Dog Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Dog Diseases - pathology; Dog Diseases - surgery; Dogs; elbows; Female; Forelimb - diagnostic imaging; Forelimb - injuries; Forelimb - pathology; Forelimb - surgery; fragmented medial coronoid process; image analysis; joint diseases; Joints - diagnostic imaging; Joints - injuries; Joints - pathology; Joints - surgery; limbs (animal); Male; Reproducibility of Results; Retrospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; tissue degeneration; Ulna Fractures - diagnostic imaging; Ulna Fractures - pathology; Ulna Fractures - surgery; Ulna Fractures - veterinary; ultrasonography; Ultrasonography - standards; Ultrasonography - veterinary; validity
• ISSN: 0003-1488; 1943-569X
• DOI: 10.2460/javma.234.4.480

To determine the accuracy of ultrasonography in detecting fragmentation of the medial coronoid process (FMCP) in dogs. Cross-sectional study. 102 dogs (112 elbow joints) suspected to have FMCP. Elbows were examined ultrasonographically prior to surgery for evidence of fragmentation, fissuring, or deformation of the medial coronoid process; thickening of the joint capsule; joint effusion; and secondary new bone formation. Results were compared with intraoperative findings. At surgery, 51 (46%) joints had free fragments, 55 (49%) had nondisplaced fragments, and 6 (5%) did not have any fragments or fissures. Fragments were not seen ultrasonographically in 23 of the 51 (45%) joints in which a free fragment was found during surgery or in 50 of the 55 (91%) joints in which a nondisplaced fragment was found during surgery. Accuracy of using ultrasonographic evidence of any medial coronoid process abnormality (ie, a medial coronoid process fragment, deformation of the medial coronoid process, or both) for diagnosis of medial coronoid process fragmentation was 77%. The kappa coefficient for the level of agreement between ultrasonographic (ie, any medial coronoid process abnormality) and surgical findings was -0.014, indicating that there was no agreement. Results suggested that ultrasonography was of limited diagnostic value in detecting FMCP in dogs.