Correlation of Radiographic and Palpable Landmarks Used for Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy Planning

To determine the correlation between preoperative and intraoperative tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) planning landmarks and measurements.In canine cadaveric stifles (<i>n</i> = 39), the medial collateral ligament (MCL), palpable tibial tuberosity (pTT), patellar ligament enthesis (PLE), and the medial anatomic groove caudal to the attachment of the (patellar) ligament (MAGCAL) were labeled and radiographed. The location of the pTT and PLE were compared with the radiographic location of the tibial tuberosity (rTT); the MCL location was compared with the radiographic location of the intercondylar eminence (ICE), and the planned osteotomy location was compared with the MAGCAL position.There was no statistically significant difference between the location of the rTT to the pTT and PLE. The MCL was directly centered over the ICE in only 20/39 stifles, with the rest being caudal. The planned osteotomy was cranial to or within the MAGCAL in 27/32 pelvic limbs.The MCL should be used cautiously for osteotomy planning, and the MAGCAL may be a useful anatomic landmark for intraoperative TPLO planning.