Cartilage thickness measurement in foals.

This research investigates the thickness of the cartilage in various bones of foals who are between 0 and 150 days old. The thickness data were collected from different parts of key bones. The study finds that cartilage thickness varies within a bone, and it can be related to conditions like osteochondrosis dissecans and epiphyseal osteomyelitis.

Research Method

• The study collected the bones of 20 foals who were aged in between 0 to 150 days at the time of autopsy. The bones were from the talus and the proximal and distal epiphysis of the humerus, radius, femur, tibia and distal metacarpus.
• These bones were then dissected sagittally into slabs with a thickness ranging between 4 to 8 mm.
• A sliding calliper was utilized to measure the thickness of the cartilage in the slabs at three to five different spots.

Data Analysis

• The research found that thickness of the cartilage in most epiphyses was similar in all the foals studied.
• The thickest cartilage was found in distal femora while the thinnest was in distal metacarpi.
• The study also compared the spots of the most common occurrence of osteochondrosis dissecans in tali and proximal humeri, and found them to be similar to the spots of thickest cartilage in these bones.

Research Findings and Implications

• The analysis of data revealed locations with thickest cartilage did not always correlate with the most common sites of equine osteochondrosis, specifically in the middle and distal thirds of the lateral trochlear ridge of femora.
• The research also identified haematological epiphyseal osteomyelitis, a common condition in foals, mostly occurred in areas of maximum cartilage thickness- these included the medial femoral condyle, talus, and distal radius.
• These findings suggest that the thickening of cartilage can be indicative of potential osteochondrosis or osteomyelitis in the foals, which could aid in early diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.