Clinical Challenge:
A much-loved 10-year-old Kelpie × Red Heeler had recently undergone surgery to remove a sarcoma from the right fore elbow. While the mass had been excised, the referring veterinary team remained concerned that microscopic cancer cells could still be present. On top of this, the dog had lived with hip dysplasia since 18 months of age, and mobility had been gradually declining. The question was – how much of the discomfort was coming from the hips, and was there still active cancer at the surgical site?
Why Standard Imaging Wasn’t Enough
After surgery, the elbow region showed normal post-operative changes – swelling, healing tissue and scar formation. On conventional imaging, it was difficult to confidently determine whether any tumour cells remained active. Radiographs confirmed known hip dysplasia, but they could not clearly show which hip was contributing most to pain, or whether there was active inflammation driving the mobility decline. When anatomy alone cannot tell the full story, functional imaging becomes critical.
What SPECT-CT Revealed:
SPECT-CT provided both metabolic activity and anatomical localisation The scan identified: Ongoing metabolic activity in the right fore elbow, consistent with residual sarcoma cells. More significant degenerative change and active inflammation in the right hip compared to the left Rather than guessing, the team could now see exactly where disease was still active.
What Happened Next
With confirmation of residual tumour activity, electrochemotherapy was initiated to directly target remaining sarcoma cells. The hip dysplasia management plan was also refined, focusing on the right hip as the primary pain source and optimising long-term comfort and mobility support.
Why This Matters
In complex cases involving both cancer surveillance and chronic orthopaedic disease, SPECT-CT helps answer one simple but critical question: Where is the disease still active?