The effect of computed tomographical gantry angle on the measurement of the canine intercondylar notch.

This study was conducted to evaluate the clinical application of computed tomography of the canine femoral intercondylar notch. The canine femoral intercondylar notch is angled 12 degrees from the dorsal plane and obliqued 7 degrees proximolateral to distomedial in the sagittal plane. Measurements of the notch were performed with eight, 12, and 16 degrees of gantry tilt. With the exception of proximal opening notch angle, significant differences were not detected in measurements referenced to 12 degrees of gantry tilt. Evidence from this study indicated that a +/- 4 degree variation in gantry tilt angle from a desired angle of 12 degrees did not significantly affect clinical interpretations of intercondylar notch measurements or notch width index ratios.