Unveiling the Mystery of Humeral Periosteal Reaction-Like Lesions in Dogs

Periosteal reaction-like lesions at the cranial aspect of the humeral diaphysis have a high prevalence in older, large breed dogs and may represent entheses of the superficial pectoral muscles

Mareike-Kristin Nickel, Lisa Schikowski, Carsten Staszyk, Sebastian Schaub

Background: The study investigated the radiographic appearance and prevalence of humeral periosteal reaction-like lesions (HPRLL) in dogs, which are smooth or mildly irregular bony double contours at the cranial aspect of the humeral diaphysis that resemble lamellar periosteal reactions.

Study: The aim of the study was to test the hypotheses that HPRLL have a high prevalence in older, large breed dogs and are not associated with any underlying pathology, but represent the attachment of the superficial pectoral muscles to the humerus via a fibrocartilaginous enthesis.

Method: The study was a retrospective, analytical study that included 1727 dogs with mediolateral radiographs of the humerus. The presence and extent of HPRLL were recorded and the effect of age, weight, sex, and breed on the presence of HPRLL was analyzed statistically2. Additionally, one cadaver specimen with HPRLL was examined macroscopically and histologically.

Results: The study found that HPRLL were present in 22.4% of the dogs, mostly in large breed dogs weighing ≥ 30 kg and aged ≥ 7 years. German Shepherd dogs and Rottweilers were overrepresented in the group with HPRLL. The anatomical and histological examination of the cadaver specimen confirmed that HPRLL represented the enthesis of the superficial pectoral muscles to the humerus, consisting of a fibrocartilaginous enthesis to the Crista tuberculi majoris and Crista humeri.

Limitations: The study had some limitations, such as the retrospective design, the use of different x-ray machines, the lack of blinding of the reviewers, and the inability to perform sampling of the HPRLL in the dogs.

Conclusions: The study concluded that HPRLL at the cranial aspect of the humeral diaphysis have a high prevalence in older, large breed dogs and may represent the attachment of the superficial pectoral muscles to the humerus15. The authors advised veterinarians not to overinterpret the findings as aggressive bone disease and recommended further research on the biomechanical properties of the muscular attachment.

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