Comparative evaluation of tomosynthesis, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging findings for metacarpophalangeal joints from equine cadavers.
Abstract: To describe the technique and assess the diagnostic potential and limitations of tomosynthesis for imaging of the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ) of equine cadavers; compare the tomosynthesis appearance of pathological lesions with their conventional radiographic, CT, and MRI appearances; and evaluate all imaging findings with gross lesions of a given MCPJ. Methods: Distal portions of 4 forelimbs from 4 equine cadavers. Methods: The MCPJs underwent radiography, tomosynthesis (with a purpose-built benchtop unit), CT, and MRI; thereafter, MCPJs were disarticulated and evaluated for the presence of gross lesions. The ability to identify pathological lesions on all images was assessed, followed by semiobjective scoring for quality of the overall image and appearance of the subchondral bone, articular cartilage, periarticular margins, and adjacent trabecular bone of the third metacarpal bone, proximal phalanx, and proximal sesamoid bones of each MCPJ. Results: Some pathological lesions in the subchondral bone of the third metacarpal bone were detectable with tomosynthesis but not with radiography. Overall, tomosynthesis was comparable to radiography, but volumetric imaging modalities were superior to tomosynthesis and radiography for imaging of subchondral bone, articular cartilage, periarticular margins, and adjacent bone. Conclusions: With regard to the diagnostic characterization of equine MCPJs, tomosynthesis may be more accurate than radiography for identification of lesions within subchondral bone because, in part, of its ability to reduce superimposition of regional anatomic features. Tomosynthesis may be useful as an adjunctive imaging technique, highlighting subtle lesions within bone, compared with standard radiographic findings.
Publication Date: 2021-10-21 PubMed ID: 34669497DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.82.11.872Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Anatomy
- Articular Cartilage
- Bones
- Cadaver
- Clinical Study
- Comparative Study
- Computed Tomography
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Horses
- Imaging Techniques
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Metacarpal Bone
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint
- Radiology
- Sesamoid Bones
- Subchondral Bone
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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This research compared the effectiveness of different imaging techniques – tomosynthesis, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – on equine metacarpophalangeal joints taken from cadavers. The study found that tomosynthesis may be more accurate than radiography in identifying lesions inside the subchondral bone.
Methods
- The study involved the distal parts of the forelimbs from four equine cadavers. The metacarpophalangeal joints (MCPJs) of these limbs underwent radiography, tomosynthesis, CT, and MRI.
- After the imaging, the MCPJs were disarticulated and observed for the presence of any gross lesions. The success of each imaging method in identifying these lesions was then assessed.
- Each method was also subjectively scored for the quality of the image, and the appearance of various parts of each MCPJ – including the subchondral bone, the articular cartilage, the periarticular margins, and the nearby trabecular bone of the third metacarpal bone, proximal phalanx, and proximal sesamoid bones.
Results
- The research found that some pathological lesions in the subchondral bone of the third metacarpal bone could be identified with tomosynthesis, but not with radiography.
- Overall, the quality of images obtained by tomosynthesis was comparable to those produced by radiography. However, volumetric imaging methods – the CT and MRI – showed superior results compared to both tomosynthesis and radiography when imaging the subchondral bone, articular cartilage, periarticular margins, and adjacent bone.
Conclusion
- Based on these findings, the researchers suggest that tomosynthesis may be more accurate than radiography when investigating lesions within the subchondral bone. This is potentially due to the fact that tomosynthesis is better at reducing the superimposition of regional anatomic features.
- The study also suggests tomosynthesis could be useful as an additional imaging technique, since it can highlight subtle lesions in bone that might not be clearly identified during standard radiographic examinations.
Cite This Article
APA
Stewart HL, Kawcak CE, Inscoe CR, Puett C, Lee YZ, Lu J, Zhou OZ, Selberg KT.
(2021).
Comparative evaluation of tomosynthesis, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging findings for metacarpophalangeal joints from equine cadavers.
Am J Vet Res, 82(11), 872-879.
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.82.11.872 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- From the Equine Orthopaedic Research Center and Translational Medicine Institute, Department of Clinical Sciences, and Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523.
- From the Equine Orthopaedic Research Center and Translational Medicine Institute, Department of Clinical Sciences, and Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523.
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599.
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599.
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599.
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599.
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599.
- From the Equine Orthopaedic Research Center and Translational Medicine Institute, Department of Clinical Sciences, and Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cadaver
- Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
- Horses
- Joints / diagnostic imaging
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging / veterinary
- Metacarpal Bones / diagnostic imaging
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint / diagnostic imaging
- Tomography, X-Ray Computed / veterinary
Citations
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