Gross and Histopathologic Correlation of Low-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in the Stifle of Asymptomatic Horses.
Abstract: With the recent introduction of a 0.25T rotating MRI system, clinical evaluation of the equine stifle joint is now possible in the average equine athlete. A recent publication described common abnormalities of horses with stifle lameness detected with a low-field MRI system; however, postmortem corroboration of the lesions detected was not possible. Therefore, our objective was to compare postmortem findings with low-field MRI findings in equine cadaver stifle joints. Ten fresh cadaver stifle joints from horses without clinical signs of stifle disease were evaluated using low-field MRI, gross dissection, and histopathology. In eight stifles, either the lateral or medial cranial meniscotibial ligament had an irregular shape, fiber separation, or moderate abnormal signal intensity (SI) on all sequences. In five stifles, the medial femoral condyle had articular cartilage fibrillation with or without an osteochondral defect over the weight bearing surface of the medial femoral condyle. All stifles had abnormal SI on all sequences within the patellar ligaments that corresponded with adipose tissue infiltrating between the collagen bundles. Other abnormalities identified included articular cartilage fibrillation of the tibial condyles in three stifles, and articular cartilage fibrillation with chondral defects in the patella in three stifles. All abnormalities detected with low-field MRI were corroborated by gross dissection. Findings from the current study supported the use of low-field MRI for detection of stifle joint lesions in horses and demonstrated that some stifle joint pathologies may be subclinical in horses.
© 2014 American College of Veterinary Radiology.
Publication Date: 2014-12-28 PubMed ID: 25545132DOI: 10.1111/vru.12233Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research paper investigates the use of a low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system in the detection of stifle joint abnormalities in horses, specifically comparing the findings with post-mortem dissections.
Objective and Methodology
- The researchers aimed to compare the results from a low-field MRI scanning system with postmortem dissection on horse stifle joints, to verify the effectiveness of using the MRI system for detecting stifle joint lesions.
- Ten fresh cadaver stifle joints from horses showing no clinical signs of stifle disease were used in the study.
- The MRI scanning, anatomical dissection and histopathological observations were conducted to provide comparisons of the results.
Findings from the MRI Scans
- An irregular shape, fiber separation, or abnormal signal intensity in the lateral or medial meniscotibial ligament was observed in eight out of the ten stifles.
- Five stifles showed signs of articular cartilage fibrillation in the medial femoral condyle, with or without an osteochondral defect over the weight bearing surface.
- The presence of abnormal signal intensity in all sequences within the patellar ligaments was observed in all stifles, corresponding to fatty tissue infiltrating between the collagen bundles.
- Additional abnormalities detected included articular cartilage fibrillation of the tibial condyles in three stifles and articular cartilage fibrillation with chondral defects in the patella in three stifles.
Confirmation of Findings with Postmortem Dissection
- All the abnormalities detected with the low-field MRI were confirmed with gross dissection, suggesting a strong correlation between the two methods of examination.
- The study findings support the use of low-field MRI for detection of stifle joint lesions in horses.
- The research concludes that some stifle joint pathologies may exist without showing clinical signs in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Santos MP, Gutierrez-Nibeyro SD, McKnight AL, Singh K.
(2014).
Gross and Histopathologic Correlation of Low-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in the Stifle of Asymptomatic Horses.
Vet Radiol Ultrasound, 56(4), 407-416.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vru.12233 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.
- McKnight Insight, LLC, Chadds Ford, PA.
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.
MeSH Terms
- Adipose Tissue / pathology
- Animals
- Asymptomatic Diseases
- Cadaver
- Cartilage, Articular / pathology
- Collagen
- Dissection
- Female
- Femur / pathology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Joint Diseases / veterinary
- Ligaments / pathology
- Ligaments, Articular / anatomy & histology
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging / veterinary
- Male
- Stifle / pathology
Citations
This article has been cited 4 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).
- Fjordbakk CT, Marques-Smith P. The equine patellar ligaments and the infrapatellar fat pad - a microanatomical study. BMC Vet Res 2023 Jan 23;19(1):20.
- Van der Vekens E, de Bakker E, Bogaerts E, Broeckx BJG, Ducatelle R, Kromhout K, Saunders JH. High-frequency ultrasound, computed tomography and computed tomography arthrography of the cranial cruciate ligament, menisci and cranial meniscotibial ligaments in 10 radiographically normal canine cadaver stifles. BMC Vet Res 2019 May 14;15(1):146.
- Rubio-Martínez LM, Redding WR, Bladon B, Wilderjans H, Payne RJ, Tessier C, Geffroy O, Parker R, Bell C, Collingwood FA. Fracture of the medial intercondylar eminence of the tibia in horses treated by arthroscopic fragment removal (21 horses). Equine Vet J 2018 Jan;50(1):60-64.
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