Calcification of Intervertebral Discs in Dachshunds
Author Information
Author(s): Øyvind Stigen, Øyvor Kolbjørnsen
Primary Institution: Norwegian School of Veterinary Science
Hypothesis
Radiographic examination is less sensitive than histopathologic examination in identifying calcified intervertebral discs in dachshunds.
Conclusion
Histopathologic examination is superior to radiographic examination in identifying calcified intervertebral discs in dachshunds.
Supporting Evidence
- A total of 148 calcified discs were identified at the radiographic examination, while 230 were identified at the histopathologic examination.
- All discs found to be calcified by radiography were also found to be calcified by histopathology.
- The sensitivity of radiography was calculated to be 0.6 and specificity 1.0 when using histopathology as the gold standard.
Takeaway
This study looked at 20 dachshunds to see how well X-rays and tissue samples could find calcified discs. It found that tissue samples were much better at spotting these problems.
Methodology
The study involved radiographic and histopathologic examinations of intervertebral discs from 20 dachshunds that were euthanased for unrelated reasons.
Potential Biases
Interobserver variation may affect the evaluation of radiographs and histological sections.
Limitations
The study's findings may not be directly comparable to results from live dogs due to the post-mortem nature of the examinations.
Participant Demographics
The dachshunds ranged in age from 10 months to 13 years, with 60% being female.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.6
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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