Small Animal Radiology and Ultrasound: A Diagnostic Atlas and Text

Chapter Six The Spine 705
FIG. 6-55 cont’d B, The ventrodorsal view revealed malalignment at L5-6 and displacement
to the left of the dorsal fragments. Diagnosis: Extensional injury fractures of L5.
B
FIG. 6-56 A 4-year-old English
Springer Spaniel was hit by a car and
became paretic in the hind limbs.
There is an extensional fracture of
T7 with subluxation at T7-8.
Diagnosis: Fractured T7.
radiographic change identified when subluxation of the vertebral bodies has occurred. On
a ventrodorsal radiograph, an abrupt change in alignment of the dorsal spinous processes
may be observed. It is difficult to predict the severity of the neurologic injury from the
radiographic changes that are present. Myelography may be helpful in determining
the extent of the neurologic injury; however, a normal myelogram may be present despite
severe myelomalacia. Three-dimensional reconstruction of CT scans has proven to
be helpful in making this diagnosis. 239