Toy Pudel Female castrated 6 years of age, presented for a history of some months of lameness and swollen left carpus. Clinically was suspected instability. Radiographs were taken. Radiographic examination Dorso palmar view of the left carpus (left). DP view of the same region stressed laterally. Radiographic findings Dorso palmar view of the left carpus (left) stressed medially. Contralateral limb, same view as comparison (right). Radiographic findings
- There is a moderate soft tisse swelling centred on the carpus (arrows).
- Moderate periarticular new bone proliferation at the periarticular margins of the all carpal joints and additional enthesiophytes medially in the distal radius, irregularly defined and of heterogenous radioopacity (empty arrows).
- Marked widening of the antebrachiocarpal joint medial in the stress view (arrowhead).
Radiographic examination Dorso palmar view of the left carpus (left) and stressed medially view (right) Radiographic findings The radiographic diagnosis is:
- Moderate to severe arthrosis of all the carpal joints left with instability of the antebrachiocarpal joint.
- Lesion of the medial collateral ligaments.
- Possible additional tendinopathy of the M. abductor pollicis longus.
- The dog underwent surgical therapy.
- Post OP radiographs are shown.
Dorsopalmar and lateromedial view of the carpus left post surgery. Comments
- As shown in another case (January), special stress techniques have been described to enable full appreciation of the loss of ligamentous support. This technique requires the application of traction, shearing wedge or rational forces during radiography.
- Incompetent (damaged) ligaments fail to limit the degree of joint mobilty, wich results in increased joint widening.
- Osteophytes are outgrown of bone at the margin of the articular surface of a synovial joint. Most commonly osteophytes are seen as smoothly marginated and homogenous osseous proliferation, as either undulating or nodular bone outgrows from bone surface.
- Enthesiophytes are focal proliferation of new bone to form a spur at an enthesis (site of attachment of a ligament, tendon or fibruous capsule). The underlying stimoulus may be trauma or inflammation.
