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Identification and history

Name: Rocky
Report and medical history: Dog, Springer Spaniel, M, 4 years old.

An ultrasound scan and orthopedic examination was requested for acute lameness in the front left limb.
The patient has pain on palpation of the biceps femoris and the shoulder.
Suspected avulsion fracture with partial rupture of the brachial biceps tendon.

Diagnostics

The ultrasound image shows the supraspinatus muscle is healthy.

This ultrasound image, however, shows an increased volume of the left infraspinatus muscle. It appears contracted and has a hyperechogenic, globular appearance with unrecognisable echotexture.

Slight increase in the thickness of the brachial biceps tendon, particularly around the proximal insertion, where it presents a heterogenous echotexture due to the presence of multiple millimetric hyperechogenic foci forming an acoustic shadow over the medial half.
Furthermore, the image shows moderate ectasia of the sheath of the brachial biceps, which is more pronounced around the bicipital groove and the myotendinous junction.

Images were acquired with the MyLab^™9VET system.

Conclusions and treatment:

Laura Martinelli, DVM, MSc
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, Italy.

The ultrasound scan confirms avulsion rupture of the brachial biceps and shows in addition a contraction of the infraspinatus muscle.

Possible treatments are surgery or local medical therapies.

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