Magnetic Resonance Imaging Comparison of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration of Normal and Disc Diseases in Dogs

Abstract

This study compared the degree of disc degeneration of intervertebral disc between normal disc and disc disease using Magnetic Resonance images of tholacolumbar and lumbar vertebrae in dogs. The sample population consist-ed of 72 dogs and 188 intervertebral discs. These dogs were divided into four groups according to MRI criteria: normal, disc protrusion, disc extrusion, and fi-brocartilaginous embolism. The Pfirrmann classification developed by Pfirrmann for use in human medicine was used to assess the degree of disc degeneration. Statistical analysis revealed that disc diseases had a significant difference in the degree of disc degeneration compared to normal discs in the intervertebral disc. Fibrocartilaginous embolism was found to have a relatively low disc degenerative change compared to two other disc disease groups, disc protrusion and disc extrusion. Disc degeneration in the disc extrusion group was slightly higher than that in the disc protrusion group, although the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. © The Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics.