Clinical history A 10 year old castrated male domestic cat was presented because of minimal lameness on both forelimbs. The elbows had limited extension on palpation although only minimal pain was noted. Radiographic studies were made of both forelimbs. Radiographic studies of both elbows LeftRight Enlarged lateral views - What is your diagnosis? Radiographic changes - Prominent new bone formation - Part is osteophyte formation - Part is periarticular osteophyte formation
- Part is soft tissue mineralization
- Focal pattern is probably synovial osteochondromas
- Linear pattern is probably within soft tissues
Radiographic diagnosis is more a diagnosis of exclusion - Subchondral bone is of expected width and density
- This rules out an infectious arthritis
- No destructive pattern is noted in the metaphyseal/epiphyseal bone
- This rules out a malignant lesion or bone infection
- No pattern of organized callus formation
- This rules out a traumatic facture
- No fracture fragments
- This rules out a traumatic fracture
- No anomaly in shape/size of epiphyseal bone
- This rules out congenital/developmental disease
- Width of joint spaces is difficult to evaluate Radiographic diagnosis - Changes are consistent with those seen in a bilateral non-inflammatory arthrosis that is
- Age related
- Secondary to chronic low-grade trauma
- Differential diagnosis - Changes are consistent with those found in hypervitaminosis A except
- Onset is too late in life
- Bony production is limited and not restricting joint motion
- Elbows are the only joints affected
Comments
- This pattern of change is frequently found in elbows of older cats
- The pattern is not unlike that found in stifles of older cats – except for the unique pattern of mineralization in the menisci and retropatellar fat pad
- Neither elbow or stifle lesions are usually treated other than symptomatically
