Imaging Diagnosis-Spinal Cord Chondrosarcoma Associated With Spirocercosis in a Dog

Abstract

A 7-year-old neutered female Boerboel cross was examined for progressive left pelvic limb lameness. There was no left patellar reflex but the remaining pelvic limb reflexes were hyperreflexic. Radiographically, there was a poorly mineralized opacity occupying the intervertebral foramen at LA-L5. On computed tomography images there was a hyperattenuating intramedullary lesion at LA-L5 that continued caudally, lateralized to the left and became extramedullary, terminating at L5-L6. In addition, well marginated, hyperattenuating lesions were noted at two muscular sites. The dog underwent euthanasia and a caudal esophageal mass was found at post mortem examination. The tumors in the spinal cord, the esophagus, and the skeletal muscles were diagnosed histologically as low-grade chondrosarcoma undergoing endochondral ossification. Spirocerca lupi-induced esophageal chondrosarcoma was believed to be the primary site from which the other, presumably metastatic, lesions originated.

Intramedullary Spinal Cord Neoplasia in 53 Dogs (1990–2010): Distribution, Clinicopathologic Characteristics, and Clinical Behavior

“…Only 5% of secondary tumors in humans are diagnosed antemortem, and affected patients present more acutely and progress more rapidly than patients with primary tumors . Clinical progression in previous veterinary reports ranged from 1 to 504 days (mean, 55.7 days; median, 21 days) . Our data also indicated a variable clinical course.…”

“…Fifty‐six intramedullary spinal cord tumors have been reported in the veterinary literature . Primary tumors were documented in 41 cases and secondary tumors in 15 cases . The mean age, recorded for 49/55 cases, was 4.7 years.…”

“…Thirteen masses occurred in the cervical spinal cord segments: 6 with C1‐5 location, 4 in the C6‐T2 segments, and 2 were not specified beyond cervical myelopathy . Twenty‐five masses occurred in the thoracolumbar spinal cord segments: 20 with a T3‐L3 location and 5 with a L4‐S3 location . One dog had multiple masses in the spinal cord .…”

“…Fifty-six intramedullary spinal cord tumors have been reported in the veterinary literature. 1,2,4,[9][10][11][12][13]15,22,25,26,[28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47] Primary tumors were documented in 41 cases 1,2,4,[9][10][11][12]15,22,[28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36]38,39,41,...…”

Magnetic resonance imaging, treatment and outcome of canine vertebral chondrosarcomas. Six cases

“…1971, Chihaya & Matsukawa 1980, lumbar (Clemmons et al . 1983, Lindsay et al . 2010 ) and coccygeal (Hamerslag et al .…”