Fluoroscopically guided percutaneous disk aspiration in 10 dogs with diskospondylitis

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Diskospondylitis is a serious spinal infection in dogs.
• Accurate bacterial culture is crucial for effective treatment.
• Surgical biopsy is an invasive method for obtaining samples.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate fluoroscopically guided percutaneous fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the intervertebral disk space in dogs with diskospondylitis.
• To compare the diagnostic yield of FNA with blood and urine cultures.
• To assess the safety and efficacy of FNA as an alternative to surgical biopsy.

Main Methods:

• Ten dogs diagnosed with diskospondylitis underwent fluoroscopically guided percutaneous FNA of the affected intervertebral disk space.
• Bacterial cultures were performed on disk aspirates, blood samples, and urine samples.
• Clinical outcomes and adverse events were monitored.

Main Results:

• Positive bacterial cultures were obtained from 9 of 12 aspirated disk spaces.
• Blood cultures yielded positive results in 1 of 6 dogs, and urine cultures in 6 of 10 dogs.
• FNA provided positive bacterial cultures in two dogs with negative blood and urine cultures, and in two additional dogs with low Staphylococcus counts in urine.

Conclusions:

• Fluoroscopically guided percutaneous FNA of the intervertebral disk space is a valuable and safe diagnostic tool for diskospondylitis in dogs.
• This technique offers an alternative to surgical biopsy for obtaining definitive bacterial cultures.
• FNA can yield positive results even when blood and urine cultures are negative, improving diagnostic accuracy.