[Ultrasonography of the inner stifle joint in dogs with rupture of the cruciate ligaments].

This paper gives an overview of the sonographic possibilities to examine the canine stifle joint with rupture of the cruciate ligament. Sonographic examination was performed in 100 surgical patients because of a lesion of the joint. Ultrasound sections are presented with corresponding sonographical findings and pathological changes. For stifle joint, a linear transducer with 7.5 Mhz proved to be useful. Both the lateral and medial meniscus could be inspected, as well as injuries of the menisci. As an indirect sign to a lesion, effusions of the joint were demonstrable quite sensitively. The cruciate ligaments could not be investigated correctly with ultrasound. Ultrasonography is used to investigate the soft tissue structures as a completion of the radiological examination. The scanning diagnostic technique is practicable with a low technical expenditure, it is not stressful for the patient and can be repeated for therapy controls. Disadvantageous is that ultrasound is prone to artefacts, caused by the thinness of the structures examined.