DORSAL PLANE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGING OF THE ETHMOID REGION TO EVALUATE CHRONIC NASAL DISEASE IN THE DOG

Computed tomographic anatomy of the normal canine ethmoid region using both transverse and dorsal imaging plane is described. In the transverse plane, the cribriform plate appears as an irregular heart-shaped to rectangular structure that is generally visualized on no more than one to two contiguous 4-mm slices. In the dorsal plane, the cribriform plate appears as a discrete "V"-shaped structure and can be visualized on four to five contiguous slices. Successful visualization of the cribriform was less dependent on patient positioning for the dorsal plane imaging studies. Computed tomographic findings in four dogs with chronic nasal disease and complete postmortem examination of the ethmoid region indicate that the dorsal imaging plane allows a more accurate assessment of cribriform plate involvement than the transverse imaging plane.