Knafo S Emmanuelle, Divers Stephen J, Rech Raquel, Platt Simon R
Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
J Zoo Wildl Med. 2012 Jun;43(2):397-401. doi: 10.1638/2011-0099.1.
A 23-yr-old black bear (Ursus americanus) was examined because of paralysis of unknown duration. The precise onset of clinical signs was unknown as a result of seasonal torpor. The bear was immobilized and transported to a university veterinary teaching hospital for further evaluation and treatment. Radiography revealed increased mineral opacity and ventral bridging across vertebral segments T8-11. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated dorsal and ventral compression of the spinal cord at T8-9. Given the bear's advanced age, the unknown duration of spinal cord compression, unknown presence of deep pain perception, and thus an unknown prognosis for surgical success, euthanasia was elected. Postmortem examination revealed severe spondylosis deformans from T7 to L3 and dorsal extradural extruded disc material in the area of T8-9. Histopathology demonstrated the dorsal horns of the spinal cord at T9 were replaced by foamy macrophages extending into the dorsal and lateral funiculi of the white matter compatible with focal, severe, chronic myelomalacia. This is the first report of intervertebral disc disease and myelomalacia diagnosed using MRI in a large carnivore.
一只23岁的黑熊（美洲黑熊）因不明时长的瘫痪接受检查。由于季节性蛰伏，临床症状的确切发病时间不明。这只熊被麻醉后转运至一所大学的兽医教学医院进行进一步评估和治疗。X光检查显示T8 - 11椎体节段矿物质密度增加且有腹侧桥接。磁共振成像显示T8 - 9节段脊髓背侧和腹侧受压。鉴于这只熊年龄较大、脊髓受压时长不明、深部痛觉情况不明，因而手术成功的预后也不明，故选择实施安乐死。尸检发现T7至L3有严重的变形性脊椎病，T8 - 9区域有背侧硬膜外突出的椎间盘物质。组织病理学显示T9节段脊髓背角被泡沫状巨噬细胞取代，这些巨噬细胞延伸至白质的背侧和外侧索，符合局灶性、重度、慢性脊髓软化症。这是首次在大型食肉动物中使用磁共振成像诊断椎间盘疾病和脊髓软化症的报告。
