IMAGING DIAGNOSIS--DEGENERATIVE INTRASPINAL CYST ASSOCIATED WITH AN INTERVERTEBRAL DISC

• Published in: Veterinary radiology & ultrasound Vol. 48; no. 5; pp. 424 - 427
• Main Authors: PENNING, VICTORIA A, BENIGNI, LIVIA, STEEVES, ELIZABETH, CAPPELLO, RODOLFO
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Malden, USA : Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.09.2007; Blackwell Publishing Inc
• Subjects: Animals; case studies; Central Nervous System Cysts - complications; Central Nervous System Cysts - diagnosis; Central Nervous System Cysts - veterinary; cysts (pathology); degenerative intraspinal cyst; Diagnosis, Differential; dog; Dog Diseases - cerebrospinal fluid; Dog Diseases - diagnosis; Dog Diseases - pathology; Dog Diseases - surgery; Dogs; Intervertebral Disc Displacement - complications; Intervertebral Disc Displacement - diagnosis; Intervertebral Disc Displacement - veterinary; intervertebral disks; Lumbar Vertebrae; magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - veterinary; Male; Rottweiler; spinal cord; spine; Thoracic Vertebrae
• ISSN: 1058-8183; 1740-8261
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2007.00272.x

A 6-year-old neutered male Rottweiler had chronic episodic signs of thoracolumbar pain and inability to stand that did not improve after rest and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medication. In magnetic resonance images, an extradural mass was identified between the spinal cord and the T13/L1 intervertebral disc; the mass was compressing the cord in a dorsoventral direction. The lesion had a low signal intensity rim that enhanced slightly after gadolinium administration, and contents with similar signal intensity to cerebrospinal fluid. The lesion was removed surgically by severing its attachments to the annulus fibrosus. The histologic diagnosis was degenerative intraspinal cyst. The origin of such cysts, and their relationship to synovial and ganglion cysts is discussed.