Radiology Package 20
Stifles
6-year old German Shepherd
“Foxy”
• Hx:Bilateral hip dysplasia. Lame in the left hind for 6 weeks.
Palpable cranial drawer on left stifle.
6-year old German Shepherd
“Foxy”
• RF
– There is distension of the joint capsule as indicated
by the decrease in size of the infrapatellar fat pad.
– Osteophyte formation is present on the patella and
the trochlear ridges of the femur.
• RD
– Stifle effusion with mild degenerative joint disease
• R/O
– Cranial cruciate ligament injury
7-month old Newfoundland
• Hx: Presented for evaluation of an OCD lesion in the right shoulder.
On PE it is noted that there is mild joint effusion in both stifles.
7-month old Newfoundland
• RF
– The infrapatellar fat pad is displaced cranially and decreased in size.
– Increase in size of the joint capsule has caused displacement of the
fascial plane cranial to the gastrocnemius muscle.
– In the lateral view there is an ill-defined area of lucency in one of the
femoral condyles.
– The lucent area is dome-shaped with the base of the dome at the
articular surface of the bone.
– In the CC view the area of lucency is visible in the lateral femoral
condyle. It appears round and surrounded by a rim of scletoric bone.
• RD
– Capsular distension
– Osteochondrosis of the lateral femoral condyle
12-year old DSH
“Sheba”
•
RF
– The infrapatellar fat pad is greatly compressed by increase in size of the joint
capsule.
– In the lateral view multiple small mineral opacity structures are present within the
joint and adjacent to the patella. The largest is present in the medial aspect of
the joint capsule and is thought to represent a mineralized meniscus.
– Osteophyte formation is present on the patella and the trochlear ridges of the
femur.
– Several tiny mineral opacity fragments are visible in the soft tissue proximal to
the patella.
•
RD
– Marked capsular distension
– Meniscal mineralization
•
R/O
– Cranial cruciate ligament rupture
– Mineralization of the meniscus could be secondary to injury or incidental
6-month old F Golden Retriever
“Kaplan”
• Hx: Presented with lameness of the left hind limb. The dog caught
its’ foot 2 months ago and injured the leg at that time. The lameness
has improved with rest but the dog re-injured the leg 3 days ago
while trying to jump into the back of a pick-up truck.
Left
6-month old F Golden Retriever
“Kaplan”
• RF
– The infrapatellar fat pad is displaced cranially and decreased in size.
– Increase in the size of the joint capsule has caused displacement of the
fascial plane cranial to the gastrocnemius muscle.
– A small osseous fragment is seen in the joint spaces on both the lateral
and craniocaudal views.
• RD
– Stifle joint effusion
• R/O
– Probable avulsion fracture at the insertion of the cranial cruciate
ligament.
Adult Doberman Pinscher
• Hx: Presented for a 2.5 week history of lameness in the right hind
limb. History of hip dysplasia and spondylosis.
Adult Doberman Pinscher
• RF
– The infrapatellar fat pad is in normal position as is the gastrocnemius
fascial plane.
– There is no evidence of joint effusion and/or synovial thickening.
– The osseous structures of the joint are normal.
• RD
– Radiographically normal stifle
10-year old Mixed breed canine
• Hx: Presented for a 2-year history of hind-end problems and
difficulty in rising. The problem has gotten significantly worse in the
last 6 months.
10-year old Mixed breed canine
• RF
– The infrapatellar fat pad is compressed by increase in size of the joint
capsule.
– The gastrocnemius fascial plane is displaced caudally.
– Osteophyte formation is present on the patella, the trochlear ridges of
the femur and on the lateral fabella.
– Osteophytes are also seen on the margin of the extensor fossa of the
distal femur.
– The intercondylar eminences of the tibia are flattened.
• RD
– Stifle effusion with moderate degenerative joint disease
• R/O
– Cranial cruciate ligament injury
14-year old mixed breed canine
• Hx: History of osteoarthritis in the coxofemoral joints and stifles. Last
night the patient became recumbent and is unable to rise.
Proprioceptive and motor deficits are present in the right front and
left hind limbs.
14-year old mixed breed canine
• RF
– The infrapatellar fat pad is compressed by increase in size of the joint
capsule.
– The gastrocnemius fascial plane is displaced caudally.
– Osteophyte formation is present on the patella, the trochlear ridges of
the femur and on the lateral fabella.
– The intercondylar eminences of the tibia are flattened and irregular.
– Proliferative bone extends proximally onto the femoral epicondyles and
along the medial and lateral surfaces of the proximal tibia.
• RD
– Stifle effusion with severe degenerative joint disease
• Next
– Cranial cruciate ligament injury