Tomographic appearance of calcified intervertebral discs in miniature Dachshund

The objective was to describe CT imaging of calcified IVD in one-year-old Dachshunds, as well as describe the location in the soft tissue structures that make up the IVD. Ten one-year-old dogs underwent computed tomography (CT). In sagittal reconstruction images of animals, the identification of 70 IVD present in the spaces between L3 - T9 were performed. Among calcified IVDs, the presence of the change was determined as the location in the nucleus pulposus (NP), annulus fibrous (AF) and both. Of a total of 70 evaluated IVDs, 45 were found to calcified and 25 not calcified. Among calcified discs, location was determined in nine (20%) in NP, eight discs (17.77%) in AF and 28 (62, 23%) NP and AF. Calcification in this study was characterized by increased radiographic attenuation mineral density in the IVD topography. There is variation in the location and radio density of calcified areas between animals and IVD in the same individual. Changes related to IVD calcification can be classified as tomographic location in AF, NP and NP and AF. (author)