Lame - Diagnostic imaging - bone Flashcards
What can greatly change radiographic evaluation?
Positioning
Exposure/processing
What are some signs you can see in soft tissue that suggest disease?
Swelling
Muscle wastage
Foreign material
Gas
Effusion
What joint can you tell if there is an effusion of the joint capsule?
Stifle
How can you tell if there is an effusion of the stifle joint capsule?
Radiolucent lines of fat running down the fascial planes on the caudal aspect of the stifle - if these are pushed backwards then it suggests distention of the joint capsule
Also fat in between the patella and the joint capsule - radiolucent unless squashed
What is an example of when alignment can help to diagnose a condition on radiograph?
In cranial cruciate rupture, when the midpoint of the femoral condyle doesnt align with the midpoint of the tibia bumps - cranial draw
What is the outline of the bone called?
The cortex
What can be mistaken for a fracture in the cortex of a bone?
Nutrient foramen - well defined lucency extending through one cortex of the bone into the medulla
This is normal
What can you assess of the cortex to determine if it is normal?
The outline - is it continuous
Thickness of cortex
What is the outside and the inside of the cortex called?
Periosteal surface - outside of bone
Endosteal surface - inside, next to medulla
What can you assess of the medulla on radiograph?
Integrity of trabeculae
Changes in opacity
What is a normal change in opacity of the medulla?
The medulla in the mid-diaphysis of long bones is naturally more radiolucent - blacker, seems more see through
What is a condition that affects long bones and is shown in the medulla on radiograph?
Panosteitis
What is panosteitis?
Self limiting disease in young large breed dogs that affects the long bones causing shifting lameness between one leg and the other
What does panosteitis look like on radiograph?
Uneven opacity with some areas of long bone more radioopaque and some more radiolucent - patchy
What can you assess of articular surfaces on radiograph to determine disease?
Contours of surfaces - is end of bone shaped normally
Subchondral bone - normal opacity, any defects indicating osteochondrosis
Congruity - alignment normal, subluxation present
What are physes?
Growth plates
What can look like fractures in young animals?
Physes - are open in young animals
Can look like fractures, but often arent
They can fracture however - need to know how to differentiate this
What can cause confusion in cases of osteochondrosis?
Condition is bilateral but animal may only be lame on one leg
How can you tell there is bone loss?
Opacity of bone reduces - more like soft tissue
Thinning of cortices - outer bone
Thinning of medullary trabeculae
How much mineral has to be lost to be radiographically apparent?
40%
So will be severe if can see on radiograph
What can cause focal/multifocal bone loss?
Infection - osteomyelitis
Neoplasia
Trauma
What can cause diffuse bone loss?
Disuse
Nutritional/metabolic cause
What is an example of a disease causing nutritional bone loss?
Secondary hyperparathyroidism - calcium phosphorus imbalance leading to mineral resorption from bone
What can cause increased bone production?
Trauma
Neoplasia
Infection - osteomyelitis
Craniomandibular osteopathy