Assessment of the utility of using intra- and intervertebral minimum sagittal diameter ratios in the diagnosis of cervical vertebral malformation in horses.
Abstract: Cervical vertebral malformation is one of the most common causes of ataxia in horses. The most important factor in the diagnosis of cervical vertebral malformation is the identification of cervical vertebral canal stenosis, but published data for minimum sagittal diameter ratios in adult horses are only available for C4-C7 intravertebral sites. Intra- and intervertebral sagittal diameter ratios at C2-C7 were evaluated in 26 ataxic horses, for which a complete clinical and neuropathological evaluation was undertaken. Eight of these horses were diagnosed with cervical vertebral malformation. In these horses the majority of compressive lesions were intervertebral. The mean sagittal diameter ratios of horses with cervical vertebral malformation were significantly smaller than those of horses without cervical vertebral malformation, and for an individual horse in our study, the site with the smallest intervertebral sagittal diameter ratio was always the site at which the spinal cord was compressed. Mean sagittal diameter ratio intravertebral site measurements of horses with cervical vertebral malformation were smaller than those of horses without cervical vertebral malformation; however, the site of compression could not be predicted from the data. For our dataset, horses with a sagittal diameter ratio of < or = 0.485 at any inter- or intravertebral site could be correctly classified as having cervical vertebral malformation, and sagittal diameter ratio measurements were an effective tool to identify at least one site of compression in an individual case.
Publication Date: 2008-02-07 PubMed ID: 18251286DOI: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2007.00308.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Evaluation Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research examines the application of intra- and intervertebral minimum sagittal diameter ratios for diagnosing cervical vertebral malformation in horses. This study indicates that the measurements of such ratios can accurately identify whether a horse suffers from cervical vertebral malformation and can further pinpoint the sites of compression.
Research Context and Approach
- The study began by acknowledging that cervical vertebral malformation is a common cause of ataxia in horses, where published data regarding minimum sagittal diameter ratios are limited to C4-C7 intravertebral sites. Understanding such ratios is crucial in diagnosing cervical vertebral malformation by identifying cervical vertebral canal stenosis.
- The research involved evaluating intra- and intervertebral sagittal diameter ratios at C2-C7 in 26 ataxic horses. The entire batch of horses underwent a full clinical and neuropathological analysis.
Research Findings
- Eight of the 26 horses were diagnosed with cervical vertebral malformation, and majority of the compressive lesions were intervertebral.
- The mean sagittal diameter ratios of horses with cervical vertebral malformation were significantly smaller than those without the malformation. Also, the site with the smallest intervertebral sagittal diameter ratio was always the one where the spinal cord was compressed.
- However, when comparing intravertebral site measurements, while the cervical vertebral malformation horses had smaller diameter ratios, the specific location of the compression within the spinal canal couldn’t be predicted with the available data.
Implications of the Findings
- For the dataset used in this study, horses with a sagittal diameter ratio less than or equal to 0.485 at any inter- or intravertebral site could be accurately classified as suffering from cervical vertebral malformation.
- The sagittal diameter ratio measurements were effective in identifying at least one site of compression within the spinal cord.
- The results suggest that the measurement of intra- and intervertebral minimum sagittal diameter ratios can be a significant tool for diagnosing cervical vertebral malformation and locating the compression site in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Hahn CN, Handel I, Green SL, Bronsvoort MB, Mayhew IG.
(2008).
Assessment of the utility of using intra- and intervertebral minimum sagittal diameter ratios in the diagnosis of cervical vertebral malformation in horses.
Vet Radiol Ultrasound, 49(1), 1-6.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-8261.2007.00308.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Royal School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cervical Vertebrae / diagnostic imaging
- Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
- Horses
- Intervertebral Disc Displacement / diagnostic imaging
- Intervertebral Disc Displacement / veterinary
- Myelography / veterinary
- Predictive Value of Tests
- Radiography / veterinary
- Retrospective Studies
- Spinal Cord Compression / diagnostic imaging
- Spinal Cord Compression / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Alini M, Diwan AD, Erwin WM, Little CB, Melrose J. An update on animal models of intervertebral disc degeneration and low back pain: Exploring the potential of artificial intelligence to improve research analysis and development of prospective therapeutics.. JOR Spine 2023 Mar;6(1):e1230.
- Kondo T, Sato F, Tsuzuki N, Watanabe K, Horiuchi N, Kobayashi Y, Yamada K. Characteristic computed tomographic myelography findings in 23 Thoroughbred horses.. J Vet Med Sci 2022 Apr 13;84(4):525-532.
- Gough SL, Anderson JDC, Dixon JJ. Computed tomographic cervical myelography in horses: Technique and findings in 51 clinical cases.. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Sep;34(5):2142-2151.
- Rijckaert J, Raes E, Buczinski S, Dumoulin M, Deprez P, Van Ham L, van Loon G, Pardon B. Accuracy of transcranial magnetic stimulation and a Bayesian latent class model for diagnosis of spinal cord dysfunction in horses.. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Mar;34(2):964-971.
- Rijckaert J, Pardon B, Saey V, Raes E, Van Ham L, Ducatelle R, van Loon G, Deprez P. Determination of magnetic motor evoked potential latency time cutoff values for detection of spinal cord dysfunction in horses.. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Sep;33(5):2312-2318.
- Szklarz M, Lipinska A, Slowikowska M, Niedzwiedz A, Marycz K, Janeczek M. Comparison of the clinical and radiographic appearance of the cervical vertebrae with histological and anatomical findings in an eight-month old warmblood stallion suffering from cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM).. BMC Vet Res 2019 Aug 15;15(1):296.
- Shearer TR, Kinsley MA, Pease AP, Patterson JS. Development of a minimally invasive approach to equine cervical articular facet joints for placement of an ND:YAG LASER.. Can Vet J 2017 Nov;58(11):1181-1186.
- Hughes KJ, Laidlaw EH, Reed SM, Keen J, Abbott JB, Trevail T, Hammond G, Parkin TD, Love S. Repeatability and intra- and inter-observer agreement of cervical vertebral sagittal diameter ratios in horses with neurological disease.. J Vet Intern Med 2014 Nov-Dec;28(6):1860-70.
- Aleman M, Dimock AN, Wisner ER, Prutton JW, Madigan JE. Atlanto-axial approach for cervical myelography in a Thoroughbred horse with complete fusion of the atlanto-occipital bones.. Can Vet J 2014 Nov;55(11):1069-73.
- Martin-Vaquero P, da Costa RC. Evaluation of traditional and novel radiographic vertebral ratios in Great Danes with versus without cervical spondylomyelopathy.. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2014 Sep-Oct;55(5):488-95.
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