Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging with standing cervical radiographs for evaluation of vertebral canal stenosis in equine cervical stenotic myelopathy.
Abstract: The sensitivity and specificity of lateral cervical radiographs to evaluate horses suspected of cervical stenotic myelopathy (CSM) are limited by the assessment being restricted to the sagittal plane. Objective: To determine whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows for a more accurate identification of stenosis than lateral cervical radiographs in horses with CSM. Methods: Case control study. Methods: Nineteen Thoroughbred horses with CSM (17 males, 2 females, age 6-50 months) were compared to 9 control Thoroughbreds (6 males, 3 females, age 9-67 months). Ante mortem, the subjects had neurological examinations and standing cervical radiographs with sagittal ratios calculated from C3 to C7. Intact cervical column MRI scans and histological examinations of the spinal cord were performed post mortem. Morphometric parameters were measured on the vertebral canal, spinal cord and intervertebral foramen. Results: Radiographic cervical canal height measurements categorised by standard minimal sagittal diameter intravertebral and intervertebral ratios produced several false positive and false negative determinations of canal stenosis as defined by spinal cord histopathology. Post mortem MRI measurements of canal area and cord canal area ratio more accurately predicted sites of cord compression in CSM cases. No differences in spinal cord measurements were observed when comparing CSM to control horses, but each of the vertebral canal parameters achieved significance at multiple sites. Conclusions: Vertebral canal area and cord canal area ratio are better parameters to predict the location of cervical canal stenosis compared to only the sagittal plane of canal height. Additional visual planes and measurements obtained by MRI, specifically vertebral canal area and the cord canal area ratio, will provide a more accurate method to identify regions of canal stenosis than lateral cervical radiographs. The development of MRI or computed tomography equipment capable of evaluating the cervical column of mature horses may substantially enhance evaluation of CSM patients. The Summary is available in Chinese - see Supporting information.
© 2013 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2014-02-21 PubMed ID: 24329734DOI: 10.1111/evj.12221Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article compares the effectiveness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to standing cervical radiographs for observing stenosis in the vertebral canal of horses suffering from cervical stenotic myelopathy (CSM). The conclusions drawn from the comparison indicate that MRI is a better predictive parameter than the standing radiographs due to the additional visual plane and measurement capabilities it offers, resulting in a more accurate identification of stenosis.
Objective of the Research
- The primary aim of the research was to investigate whether Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) could offer a more accurate diagnosis of stenosis in horses suffering from Cervical Stenotic Myelopathy (CSM) than conventional standing cervical radiographs. This inquiry stemmed from the limitations of the standing radiographs, whose detailed assessment is restricted to the sagittal plane only.
Methodology
- Nineteen Thoroughbred horses diagnosed with CSM were analyzed in comparison with nine control Thoroughbred horses.
- Before their deaths, each of the horses was subjected to neurological examinations and standing cervical radiographs. Sagittal ratios were calculated from C3 to C7 based on these radiographs.
- Post-mortem MRI scans were conducted on their intact cervical column. Additionally, the spinal cord of each horse was examined histologically for further insights.
- The parameters for assessing vertebral canal, spinal cord, and intervertebral foramen were directly measured for analysis.
Results of the Study
- The study identified several inaccuracies in the determination of canal stenosis when using the standard minimal sagittal diameter intra-vertebral and inter-vertebral ratios derived from radiographic cervical canal height measurements.
- Contrarily, the post-mortem MRI measurements were found to predict sites of cord compression with higher accuracy in cases of CSM. These measurements entailed canal area and cord canal area ratios.
- Significant measurements were observed in several vertebral canal parameters when comparing CSM to control horses. However, no notable differences were found in the spinal cord measurements of both groups.
Conclusions
- When compared to the sagittal plane of the canal height, vertebral canal area and cord canal area ratio serve as better predictors for the location of cervical canal stenosis.
- Additional visual planes and measurements, particularly vertebral canal area and the cord canal area ratio, obtainable through MRI could provide a more precise identification of regions of canal stenosis than standing cervical radiographs.
- The findings from the study advocate the development and usage of MRI or computed tomography (CT) equipment that is capable of evaluating the cervical column of mature horses. This could drastically improve the evaluation process of patients suffering from CSM.
Cite This Article
APA
Janes JG, Garrett KS, McQuerry KJ, Pease AP, Williams NM, Reed SM, MacLeod JN.
(2014).
Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging with standing cervical radiographs for evaluation of vertebral canal stenosis in equine cervical stenotic myelopathy.
Equine Vet J, 46(6), 681-686.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12221 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Case-Control Studies
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging / veterinary
- Male
- Radiography
- Spinal Canal / pathology
- Spinal Cord / diagnostic imaging
- Spinal Stenosis / diagnostic imaging
- Spinal Stenosis / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 13 times.- Kondo T, Sato F, Tsuzuki N, Yamada K. Sex differences in cervical spinal cord and spinal canal development in Thoroughbred horses.. J Vet Med Sci 2022 Sep 21;84(10):1363-1367.
- Kondo T, Sato F, Tsuzuki N, Chen CJ, Yamada K. An objective index for spinal cord compression on computed tomography in Thoroughbred horses.. Vet Med Sci 2022 May;8(3):1072-1078.
- Hales EN, Habib H, Favro G, Katzman S, Sakai RR, Marquardt S, Bordbari MH, Ming-Whitfield B, Peterson J, Dahlgren AR, Rivas V, Ramirez CA, Peng S, Donnelly CG, Dizmang BS, Kallenberg A, Grahn R, Miller AD, Woolard K, Moeller B, Puschner B, Finno CJ. Increased α-tocopherol metabolism in horses with equine neuroaxonal dystrophy.. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Sep;35(5):2473-2485.
- Hales EN, Aleman M, Marquardt SA, Katzman SA, Woolard KD, Miller AD, Finno CJ. Postmortem diagnoses of spinal ataxia in 316 horses in California.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2021 Jun 15;258(12):1386-1393.
- Story MR, Haussler KK, Nout-Lomas YS, Aboellail TA, Kawcak CE, Barrett MF, Frisbie DD, McIlwraith CW. Equine Cervical Pain and Dysfunction: Pathology, Diagnosis and Treatment.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Feb 6;11(2).
- 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.
- Vansteenkiste DP, Fenger JM, Fadda P, Martin-Vaquero P, da Costa RC. MicroRNA expression in the cerebrospinal fluid of dogs with and without cervical spondylomyelopathy.. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Nov;33(6):2685-2692.
- Haussler KK, Pool RR, Clayton HM. Characterization of bony changes localized to the cervical articular processes in a mixed population of horses.. PLoS One 2019;14(9):e0222989.
- 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.
- Veraa S, Bergmann W, Wijnberg ID, Back W, Vernooij H, Nielen M, van den Belt AM. Equine cervical intervertebral disc degeneration is associated with location and MRI features.. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2019 Nov;60(6):696-706.
- Rijckaert J, Pardon B, Van Ham L, Joosten P, van Loon G, Deprez P. Magnetic motor evoked potentials of cervical muscles in horses.. BMC Vet Res 2018 Sep 24;14(1):290.
- Yamada K, Sato F, Hada T, Horiuchi N, Ikeda H, Nishihara K, Sasaki N, Kobayashi Y, Nambo Y. Quantitative evaluation of cervical cord compression by computed tomographic myelography in Thoroughbred foals.. J Equine Sci 2016;27(4):143-148.
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