ORTHO – Normal stifle cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) and meniscus with osteophyte in a 8 year old MN Australian Shepherd mix dog

History

This 8 year old MN Australian Shepherd mix dog has a history of a right stifle CCL tear.

DX

The ultrasonographic examination of the left stifle joint is within normal limits.

Image Interpretation

Ultrasound of the left stifle- No effusion is noted within the supra- and infrapatellar recess of the left stifle joint.
The synovial membranes are even and thin.
A small emerging osteophyte is seen at the periarticular margin of the distal aspect of
the medial femoral condyle.
The cranial cruciate ligament is continuous with a regular fibre pattern and even
thickness. Mild focal irregularity of the cranial contour is noted but considered within
normal limits.
A focal accumulation of echogenic tissue is seen deep to the cranial cruciate ligament
at the intercondylar eminence of the tibia.
The medial meniscus is in situ, uniform in echogenicity and smooth in outline.

Outcome

There
is no evidence of a relevant cranial cruciate or meniscal pathology at this point.
The small distal femur osteophyte is a non-specific finding, which may be associated
with early emerging degenerative joint disease (DJD). But the underlying cause
remains unclear and clinical significance is very unlikely at this point.
The echogenic tissue deep to the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) is not associated with
CCL pathology or DJD. The origin is unclear but I have seen it as a subclinical finding
in many active/performance dogs.