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compressive lesions appear as a circumferential loss of contrast agent (Moore et al. 1992). In our patient, only CT detected the lesions present at the level of C2, which were defined by post mortem examination. This finding demonstrates the high sensitivity ofCTforbonelesions.However, the lesions described at the level of C4 were not noticed. Reducing the slice thickness could increase the sensitivity of the examination. Computed tomographic myelography yields the most sensitive evaluation and qualitative information regarding the source, severity and location of spinal cord compression (Moore et al. 1992). Nevertheless, CT is an expensive technique, not widely available that requires general anaesthesia. However, standing CT of the head and neck of the sedated horse is possible in a few facilities (Nelson 2008). Gantry size limits the investigation of the cervical region toC4–C5;however, usingalargeboreC6canbeincluded in the examination. In this case the patient was already anaesthetised for the myelogram and C3 fitted perfectly in the gantry. A previous report of CT myelography of the cervical region


of the horse dealt with cervical stenotic myelopathy. Myelography and CT myelography were highly sensitive to detect spinal cordcompression, but CT myelographywasmore accurate in the demonstration of the source, severity and location of this compression (Moore et al. 1992). The general osteolyticappearanceof C3, with compression


of the spinal cord could have been caused by an infectious or neoplastic process. Theabsenceof cervical painandanyother sign of an infectious process in our patient suggested a neoplastic process to be more likely. Previous studies reported that antemortemdiagnosis ofahaemangiosarcomais difficult. In a study by Southwood et al. (2000) only 4 of the 35 patients withadisseminatedhaemangiosarcomawerediagnosedante mortem. Ante mortem diagnosis is possible only when a mass is readily recognisable and accessible for biopsy (Johns et al. 2005). CT-guided biopsy would have been an option for diagnosis in this case. Treatment of haemangiosarcoma is generally unrewarding


in all species. Reported treatments involve surgical excision, radiation and chemotherapy. In most cases treatment is considered more palliative than curative and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used (Southwood et al. 2000). Osseous haemangiosarcoma should be included in the


differential diagnosis of compressive lesions in the vertebral canal. Computed tomographic myelography can give additional information on the extent and exact location of these lesion and this information can be useful for prognosis, biopsy and/or surgery.


Authors’ declaration of interests No conflicts of interest have been declared.


Manufacturers’ addresses


1Magstim 200 Whitland, UK. 2General Electric Co. Healthcare, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. 3GE Prospeed, General Electric Co., Medical Systems, Milwaukee,


Wisconsin, USA. 4SuperFrost Plus, Menzel-Gläser, Braunschweig, Germany. 5Dakocytomation, DK-2600 Glostrup, Denmark.


References


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