Detection of articular pathology of the distal aspect of the third metacarpal bone in thoroughbred racehorses: comparison of radiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
Abstract: To compare digital radiography (DR), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detection of pathology of the distal aspect of the third metacarpal bone (MC3) and to assess whether arthrography would improve detection of articular cartilage or subchondral bone cracking. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Limb specimens from 17 Thoroughbred horses after catastrophic injury and 4 age-matched control horses. Methods: Standard DR, CT, and MRI images of the metacarpophalangeal joint were acquired before and after iohexol injection. Pathologic features detected with imaging and on visual inspection of cartilage and subchondral bone of the distal aspect of MC3 were graded. Imaging observations were compared with pathologic abnormalities. Results: Inspection revealed obvious changes in the cartilage and subchondral bone surfaces in Thoroughbreds. Both CT and MRI were superior to DR for detection of subchondral bone pathology. Cracking of cartilage was not detected by any imaging modality. Signal changes associated with cartilage loss and development of repair tissue were evident on MRI in 9/19 cases. There was significant correlation (P < .05) between subchondral bone pathology detected on both CT and MRI, and cartilage pathology on gross examination. Contrast arthrography did not improve the detection of articular cartilage or subchondral plate cracking. Conclusions: Both CT and MRI are superior to DR for detection of subchondral bone pathology, but underestimate the extent of joint adaptation and pathologic damage. MRI was able to detect cartilage degeneration.
© Copyright 2011 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Publication Date: 2011-10-31 PubMed ID: 22092025DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.2011.00881.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Evaluation Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Anatomy
- Articular Cartilage
- Bones
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Study
- Comparative Study
- Computed Tomography
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Disease Diagnosis
- Equine Health
- Horses
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Metacarpal Bone
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint
- Radiology
- Subchondral Bone
- Thoroughbreds
- Veterinary Care
- Veterinary Medicine
Summary
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The research evaluates the effectiveness of different imaging techniques – digital radiography (DR), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – for identifying pathology of the distal aspect of the third metacarpal bone in thoroughbred racehorses. It reveals that while CT and MRI are more effective than DR in detecting subchondral bone pathology, these methods often overlook joint adaptation and pathological damage, with MRI showing potential in tracing cartilage degeneration.
Research Methods
- The authors followed a cross-sectional study design, utilizing the limb specimens of 21 thoroughbred horses. This included 17 horses who had suffered catastrophic injuries and four age-matched control horses.
- Standard DR, CT, and MRI images of the metacarpophalangeal joint were taken both before and after the horses were injected with iohexol.
- Images and visual inspection of the cartilage and subchondral bone of the distal aspect of MC3 were graded to identify any pathological features.
- The researchers compared their imaging observations with the identified pathological abnormalities.
Research Findings
- Visually examining the horses revealed distinct changes in their cartilage and subchondral bone surfaces.
- The study found that both CT and MRI were better than DR for detecting subchondral bone pathology. However, none of the imaging modalities could detect cracking in the cartilage.
- Signal changes connected with cartilage loss and the development of repair tissue were visible on MRI in 9 out of the 19 cases.
- A substantial correlation was found between subchondral bone pathology detected through both CT and MRI and cartilage pathology identified through gross examination.
- Contrast arthrography, a procedure involving injection of a contrast material into the joint area, did not enhance the detection of articular cartilage or subchondral plate cracking.
Conclusions
- The study concluded that CT and MRI are superior to DR for detecting subchondral bone pathology in horses. However, these imaging modalities tend to underestimate joint adaptation and pathological damage.
- MRI showed promise in detecting cartilage degeneration, offering a potentially useful tool for early detection and treatment of such conditions.
Cite This Article
APA
O'Brien T, Baker TA, Brounts SH, Sample SJ, Markel MD, Scollay MC, Marquis P, Muir P.
(2011).
Detection of articular pathology of the distal aspect of the third metacarpal bone in thoroughbred racehorses: comparison of radiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
Vet Surg, 40(8), 942-951.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-950X.2011.00881.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory and Department of Surgical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Arthrography / veterinary
- Case-Control Studies
- Cross-Sectional Studies
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horses
- Joint Diseases / diagnosis
- Joint Diseases / veterinary
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging / veterinary
- Metacarpal Bones / diagnostic imaging
- Metacarpal Bones / pathology
- Tomography, X-Ray Computed / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Bolz NM, Sánchez-Andrade JS, Torgerson PR, Bischofberger AS. Diagnostic Performance of Multi-Detector Computed Tomography Arthrography and 3-Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Diagnose Experimentally Created Articular Cartilage Lesions in Equine Cadaver Stifles.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jul 14;13(14).
- Steel C, Ahern B, Zedler S, Vallance S, Galuppo L, Richardson J, Whitton C, Young A. Comparison of Radiography and Computed Tomography for Evaluation of Third Carpal Bone Fractures in Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Apr 25;13(9).
- Johnston GCA, Ahern BJ, Palmieri C, Young AC. Imaging and Gross Pathological Appearance of Changes in the Parasagittal Grooves of Thoroughbred Racehorses.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Nov 24;11(12).
- Johnston GCA, Ahern BJ, Woldeyohannes SM, Young AC. Does the Low-Field MRI Appearance of Intraosseous STIR Hyperintensity in Equine Cadaver Limbs Change when Subjected to a Freeze-Thaw Process?. Animals (Basel) 2021 Feb 11;11(2).
- Marques-Smith P, Kallerud AS, Johansen GM, Boysen P, Jacobsen AM, Reitan KM, Henriksen MM, Löfgren M, Fjordbakk CT. Is clinical effect of autologous conditioned serum in spontaneously occurring equine articular lameness related to ACS cytokine profile?. BMC Vet Res 2020 Jun 8;16(1):181.
- van Zadelhoff C, Schwarz T, Smith S, Engerand A, Taylor S. Identification of Naturally Occurring Cartilage Damage in the Equine Distal Interphalangeal Joint Using Low-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Magnetic Resonance Arthrography.. Front Vet Sci 2019;6:508.
- Smith AD, Morton AJ, Winter MD, Colahan PT, Ghivizzani S, Brown MP, Hernandez JA, Nickerson DM. MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING SCORING OF AN EXPERIMENTAL MODEL OF POST-TRAUMATIC OSTEOARTHRITIS IN THE EQUINE CARPUS.. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2016 Sep;57(5):502-14.
- Boyde A, Davis GR, Mills D, Zikmund T, Cox TM, Adams VL, Niker A, Wilson PJ, Dillon JP, Ranganath LR, Jeffery N, Jarvis JC, Gallagher JA. On fragmenting, densely mineralised acellular protrusions into articular cartilage and their possible role in osteoarthritis.. J Anat 2014 Oct;225(4):436-46.
- Dubois MS, Morello S, Rayment K, Markel MD, Vanderby R Jr, Kalscheur VL, Hao Z, McCabe RP, Marquis P, Muir P. Computed tomographic imaging of subchondral fatigue cracks in the distal end of the third metacarpal bone in the thoroughbred racehorse can predict crack micromotion in an ex-vivo model.. PLoS One 2014;9(7):e101230.
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