It’s well-known that the T10-T11 intervertebral disc space in dogs is narrower than its neighboring spaces, but what about in cats? A recent study set out to explore this question, shedding new light on feline spinal anatomy and confirming that the T10-T11 disc space is also significantly narrower in cats than other adjacent disc spaces.

The Study: Measuring Feline Disc Spaces The objective of this study was to measure the width of the T10-T11 intervertebral disc space in cats and compare it to the neighboring disc spaces using radiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The researchers analyzed two groups of cats:

• Group 1: 101 clinically normal cats.

• Group 2: 32 cats without spinal diseases affecting the T8-T13 region.

Three measurements were taken at each disc space between T8 and T13: dorsal width (DW), central width (CW), and ventral width (VW). The researchers evaluated any significant differences in these measurements across the disc spaces, using both radiography and MRI, and assessed the consistency of the results by checking intra- and interobserver reliability.

Key Findings: Narrow Disc Spaces in the Thoracic Spine The results confirmed that the T10-T11 intervertebral disc space is statistically narrower than the adjacent disc spaces in cats, particularly in the cranial thoracic region:

• Radiography Findings: Both DW and CW of the T10-T11 disc space were significantly narrower than those of neighboring spaces. Additionally, the DW of the T8-T12 spaces was narrower than the T12-T13 disc space.

• MRI Findings: Similar to the radiographic results, the DW of the T10-T11 disc space was significantly narrower than the T11-T13 spaces, while the VW of the T8-T11 spaces was narrower than the T11-T13 spaces.

These findings suggest a pattern in which the cranial thoracic intervertebral disc spaces (T8-T11) are narrower than the more caudal spaces (T11-T13), both in radiographic and MRI evaluations.

Conclusion: Unique Feline Spinal Anatomy The study concluded that the T10-T11 intervertebral disc space is indeed significantly narrower than adjacent spaces in normal cats. This narrowing is particularly notable in the cranial thoracic region (T8-T11), compared to the wider disc spaces found in the caudal thoracic region (T11-T13).

Clinical Relevance: Understanding Normal Feline Spine Variations For veterinarians, understanding the normal variations in feline spinal anatomy is critical for interpreting diagnostic imaging accurately. The discovery that the T10-T11 disc space is consistently narrower could help differentiate between normal anatomical variations and pathological conditions, such as intervertebral disc disease, which can also cause narrowing in this region.

This study offers valuable insights for feline veterinary care, enhancing the ability of clinicians to make more accurate diagnoses when evaluating spinal health in cats.

Read full study here: Evaluation of Intervertebral Disc Space Width Between 10th and 11th Thoracic Vertebrae in Cats Using Radiography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging