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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Radiol Ultrasound / Equine cervical intervertebral disc degeneration is associat...
Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association2019; 60(6); 696-706; doi: 10.1111/vru.12794

Equine cervical intervertebral disc degeneration is associated with location and MRI features.

Abstract: Morphology of the equine cervical intervertebral disc is different from that in humans and small companion animals and published imaging data are scarcely available. The objectives of this exploratory, methods comparison study were (a) to describe MRI features of macroscopically nondegenerated and degenerated intervertebral discs (b) to test associations between spinal location and macroscopic degeneration or MRI-detected annular protrusion and between MRI-detected annular protrusion and macroscopic degeneration, and (c) to define MRI sequences for characterizing equine cervical intervertebral disc degeneration. Ex vivo MRI of intervertebral discs was performed in 11 horses with clinical signs related to the cervical region prior to macroscopic assessment. Mixed-effect logistic regression modeling included spinal location, MRI-detected annular protrusion, and presence of macroscopic degeneration with "horse" as random effect. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were determined. Reduced signal intensity in proton density turbo SE represented intervertebral disc degeneration. Signal voids due to presence of gas and/or hemorrhage were seen in gradient echo sequences. Presence of macroscopic intervertebral disc degeneration was significantly associated with spinal location with odds being higher in the caudal (C5 to T1) versus cranial (C2 to C5) part of the cervical vertebral column. Intervertebral discs with MRI-detected annular protrusion grades 2-4 did have higher odds than with grade 1 to have macroscopic degeneration. It was concluded that MRI findings corresponded well with gross macroscopic data. Magnetic resonance imaging of the equine cervical intervertebral disc seems to be a promising technique, but its potential clinical value for live horses needs to be explored further in a larger and more diverse population of horses.
© 2019 The Authors. Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American College of Veterinary Radiology.
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Publication Date: 2019-07-28 PubMed ID: 31353764PubMed Central: PMC6899552DOI: 10.1111/vru.12794Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article presents a study exploring the detection and likelihood of intervertebral disc degeneration in horses using MRI, and highlights the correlation between macroscopic degeneration and spinal location as well as with MRI-detected annular protrusion.

Research Objective and Study Design

  • In this paper, the authors aim to explore the morphology of the equine cervical intervertebral disc and compare it with humans and small companion animals. The objective is multifaceted, focusing on describing the MRI features of nondegenerated and degenerated intervertebral discs in horses, test associations between spinal location and degeneration and MRI-detected annular protrusion, and define the optimal MRI sequences for detecting equine cervical disc degeneration.
  • The researchers conducted an ex vivo MRI on intervertebral discs of 11 horses showing clinical signs related to the cervical region. The discs were then evaluated macroscopically post-MRI.

Methods and Key Findings

  • In the data analysis, a mixed-effect logistic regression model was used, considering factors like spinal location, MRI-detected annular protrusion, and the presence of macroscopic degeneration.
  • The study found that reduced signal intensity in proton density turbo SE was an indicator of intervertebral disc degeneration. In contrast, signal voids indicated the presence of gas and/or hemorrhage and these were observed in the gradient echo sequence.
  • One of the significant findings was the correlation between the presence of macroscopic intervertebral disc degeneration and the spinal location. Specifically, the odds were higher for degeneration in the caudal (C5 to T1) part of the cervical vertebral column compared to the cranial (C2 to C5) region.
  • Furthermore, intervertebral discs displaying MRI-detected annular protrusion grades 2-4 had higher odds of exhibiting macroscopic degeneration than those with grade 1.

Conclusion and Further Research

  • The authors concluded that the MRI findings match well with the gross macroscopic data. Therefore, MRI scans can be a potent tool for characterizing equine cervical intervertebral disc degeneration.
  • Despite the promising results, the researchers underscore the need for further exploration of this method in a wider and more diverse horse population and to verify its clinical value for live horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Veraa S, Bergmann W, Wijnberg ID, Back W, Vernooij H, Nielen M, van den Belt AM. (2019). Equine cervical intervertebral disc degeneration is associated with location and MRI features. Vet Radiol Ultrasound, 60(6), 696-706. https://doi.org/10.1111/vru.12794

Publication

Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association
ISSN: 1740-8261
NlmUniqueID: 9209635
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 60
Issue: 6
Pages: 696-706

Researcher Affiliations

Veraa, Stefanie
  • Division of Diagnostic Imaging, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Bergmann, Wilhelmina
  • Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Wijnberg, Inge D
  • Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Back, Willem
  • Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
  • Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Vernooij, Hans
  • Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Nielen, Mirjam
  • Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
van den Belt, Antoon-Jan M
  • Division of Diagnostic Imaging, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Cervical Vertebrae / diagnostic imaging
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Horse Diseases / pathology
  • Horses
  • Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / diagnostic imaging
  • Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / veterinary
  • Logistic Models
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / veterinary
  • Male

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 8 times.
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