Ultrasonographic Imaging Protocol and Sonoanatomy of the Lumbar Spine in Healthy Dogs

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Ultrasonography is a popular imaging technique in veterinary medicine. It is also often used for imaging of the musculoskeletal system. In the current literature, there are descriptions of using ultrasonography to perform examination of the spine area in the dog, for example, to make perineural blocks or identification of the lesions in the intraoperative examination. Despite these applications, there is no protocol for imaging the spine of dogs, and there are few descriptions of its sonoanatomy. The aim of this paper is to present the protocol of examination of the lumbar spine in the dog and to describe sonoanatomy of this area. ABSTRACT: Ultrasound is an imaging technique commonly used in veterinary medicine. Ultrasound devices are widely available, their means of examination are relatively short and cheap, and they do not generate ionizing radiation. In addition, ultrasound generally does not need to be performed under general anesthesia. This study was performed on 23 canine cadavers with full clinical histories and with no confirmed pathological changes in the spine region. The imaging modalities were established in dogs in lateral recumbency, with the selected side being the uppermost angle, in a neutral position. All dogs were examined in the transverse and longitudinal planes. Sacral crest, intertransverse ligament, vertebral canal floor, vertebral body, and intervertebral discs were only visible in the longitudinal plane. Vertebral arch, supraspinal ligament, dorsal wall of the vertebral canal and muscles were visualized only in the transverse plane. This article provides a brief and relatively easy-to-perform protocol for ultrasound imaging of the lumbar spine of dogs. In addition, it presents a detailed description of the sonoanatomy of the area under investigation.