On January 15, 2026, the New Zealand Veterinary Journal published a landmark cadaveric study comparing computed tomography (CT) with standard radiography for assessing surgical reduction quality of lateral humeral condylar fractures in dogs. The research, conducted by an international team of board-certified surgeons from the United States, New Zealand,

 and the United Kingdom, involved 20 cadaveric thoracic limbs with surgically created fractures, 

each reduced with precisely controlled articular step-offs of 0, 1, 2, or 3 mm in either caudal or distal directions.

Eleven blinded reviewers evaluated postoperative images from both modalities. 

The results were striking: while both CT and radiography accurately identified anatomically reduced fractures (83% and 81% probability of correct assessment, respectively),

 radiography failed catastrophically when assessing caudal malreductions.

 The estimated mean probability of misdiagnosing a caudally malreduced fracture using standard radiographs was 58% (95% CI = 50–76%),

 compared to just 1.2% (95% CI = 0.1–10.4%) for CT scans (p < 0.001). Distal malreductions were reliably diagnosed by both modalities, with misdiagnosis probabilities below 3%.

Dr. G. M. Lukaszewicz, lead author of the study, explained the clinical significance: "Humeral condylar fractures are among the most challenging orthopedic injuries in dogs, 

particularly in spaniel breeds. An articular step-off as small as 1 mm can accelerate post-traumatic osteoarthritis and lead to permanent lameness. 

Our findings demonstrate that surgeons relying solely on postoperative radiographs may unknowingly accept malreductions in more than half of caudal displacement cases".

The study also assessed inter-reviewer agreement using Gwet's AC1 coefficient. 

Overall agreement was moderate to substantial (AC1 = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.55–0.74), with CT yielding higher consistency than radiography for identifying caudal malreductions. 

The authors recommend that postoperative CT be considered mandatory for humeral condylar fracture repairs, particularly when intraoperative imaging suggests possible caudal displacement.

This research carries immediate clinical implications. With CT scanners now available in most referral veterinary hospitals, 

the additional cost of a postoperative CT scan (approximately $300–$500) is modest compared to the long-term expenses of managing secondary osteoarthritis from a malreduced joint. 

The study's findings are expected to influence revision of surgical guidelines for condylar fracture management in the coming year.