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

Abstract

Chondrosarcomas show local aggressiveness and resistance to conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and so prognosis depends on feasibility of en bloc resection. Magnetic resonance imaging may be helpful in establishing a presumptive diagnosis and prognosis based on the feasibility of surgical resection.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features of Extradural Spinal Neoplasia in 60 Dogs and Seven Cats

“…Additionally, although the T1-signal intensity of the osseous component was variable for epithelial and round cell neoplasia, most mesenchymal tumors (77.3%) had a T1-hypointense osseous component. This is consistent with the previously reported iso-or hypointensity on T1W imaging in dogs with osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma (26,46).…”

“…The individual MRI features more likely to be seen with mesenchymal neoplasia were cortical lysis, segmental lesion, heterogeneous contrast enhancement, a cavitary component to the soft tissue mass, and medium or large size of the mass. Heterogeneous contrast enhancement has been described with some mesenchymal tumors, such as chondrosarcoma and osteosarcoma, although there is variability in the reported contrast-enhancement type of other mesenchymal tumors, with primary vertebral hemangiosarcoma and extradural hemangiosarcoma displaying strong homogeneous contrast enhancement and osteosarcoma in a cat reported to display homogeneous contrast enhancement (26,(45)(46)(47)(48). Nonetheless, 90% of patients with mesenchymal neoplasia in the present report had heterogeneous contrast enhancement.…”

Multiple segment total en bloc vertebrectomy and chest wall resection in a dog with an invasive myxosarcoma

“…Total en bloc vertebrectomy was elected by the owner of this dog because of the curative‐intent potential of this procedure compared with the more commonly described palliative approaches in veterinary medicine, such as decompressive surgery or partial vertebrectomy, with or without adjuvant radiation therapy or chemotherapy 1–4. The vast majority of these cases fail because of either local disease progression or local tumour recurrence.…”

“…In a study of 26 cats with non‐lymphoid vertebral and spinal cord tumours treated with cytoreductive surgery, all four cats with primary vertebral tumours were euthanised because of local tumour recurrence 2. Two of three dogs with surgically treated primary vertebral chondrosarcoma were euthanised because of local failure 3. Finally, in one study of 22 dogs with primary vertebral osteosarcoma treated with surgery alone or in combination with various adjuvant modalities, all dogs surviving the initial postoperative period were euthanised because of local failure 4.…”

“…The management of vertebral tumours is challenging in both human and veterinary medicine. The majority of published studies in veterinary medicine describe cytoreductive surgery for the management of primary vertebral tumours, such as decompressive surgery or partial vertebrectomy, with or without adjuvant radiation therapy or chemotherapy 1–4. The vast majority of these cases fail because of either local disease progression or local tumour recurrence.…”