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Micro-computed tomography of early lesions of osteochondrosis in the tarsus of foals.
Abstract: Osteochondrosis (OC) is an important developmental orthopedic disease of human and equine patients. The disease is defined as a focal disturbance in enchondral ossification. In horses, the disturbance can occur secondary to failure of the blood supply to growth cartilage. Diagnosis of the early, subclinical stages that can clarify the etiology is currently confined to cross-sectional histological examination. The potential for micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) with angiography to detect early lesions of OC has not yet been investigated. Methods: Nine Standardbred foals bred from parents with OC of the tarso-crural joint were sacrificed at weekly intervals from birth to 7 weeks of age. Permanent barium angiograms were created within one hind limb post mortem, and samples collected from two predilection sites for OC within the tarso-crural joint of the perfused hind limb. The resulting 18 sample blocks were scanned with a custom-built micro-CT equipment set-up, and analyzed as 2D slices and 3D volume rendered models before sectioning for conventional histological examination. Results: Histological examination identified eight early lesions in seven locations within six joints from the nine foals. Micro-CT with angiography was able to detect seven lesions in the same sites as histological examination. Lesions consisted of non-perfused foci within growth cartilage. No perfused vessels exited from subchondral bone deep to any lesion. Six of the seven lesions were associated with focal defects in the subchondral bone plate. Evidence of ongoing ossification was seen in three out of the seven lesions and included one separate center of ossification. Conclusions: Micro-CT was a useful technique for examination of early lesions of OC. The results of micro-CT were compatible with failure of cartilage canal vessels at the point where they cross the ossification front. Resultant areas of ischemic chondronecrosis were associated with focal delay in enchondral ossification as visualized in 3D volume rendered models. Micro-CT combined with histology clarified the role of different forms of ossification in the secondary repair responses to lesions.
Publication Date: 2008-05-15 PubMed ID: 18579463DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2008.04.024Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research paper discusses the potential use of micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) in detecting early signs of Osteochondrosis (OC), a common orthopedic disease affecting growth cartilage in humans and horses. The researchers applied this technology on a set of Standardbred foals with a history of OC to observe its effectiveness as a diagnostic tool.
Research Methodology
- The study involved nine Standardbred foals with parental history of OC. These foals were evaluated weekly from birth to seven weeks of age.
- An angiogram, a graphical representation of blood vessels, was created for one hind limb for each foal after death using permanent barium, a contrast medium.
- Samples were collected from two sites within the tarso-crural joint where OC is most likely to occur.
- The 18 resulting sample blocks were scanned with a custom-built micro-CT equipment set-up. This data was then turned into 2D slices and 3D models. These results were later compared with traditional histological examinations.
Key Findings
- Through histological examination, the researchers identified eight early OC lesions in seven unique locations within the joints of six foals.
- Using micro-CT in combination with angiography, seven of these eight lesions were detected.
- The identified lesions were noted to be non-perfused foci within the growth cartilage, indicating a lack of blood supply to these regions.
- Six out of the seven detected lesions were linked with defects in the subchondral bone plate, an area located beneath the cartilage.
- Signs of ongoing ossification were observed in 3 of the identified 7 lesions, indicating that the disease was progressing in these regions.
Conclusions
- The results showed that micro-CT proved to be a useful tool in the detection of early OC lesions. It provided results that were in line with histological findings.
- Micro-CT also provided valuable insight into the disease progression, corroborating the theory that the disease is triggered by a failure of blood vessels to supply the growth cartilage.
- Overall, the combination of micro-CT and histology provided a clearer understanding of the different types of ossification and their role in the development of OC lesions.
Cite This Article
APA
Olstad K, Cnudde V, Masschaele B, Thomassen R, Dolvik NI.
(2008).
Micro-computed tomography of early lesions of osteochondrosis in the tarsus of foals.
Bone, 43(3), 574-583.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bone.2008.04.024 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Section for Equine Medicine and Surgery, Post box 8146 Dep., N-0033 Oslo, Norway. kristin.olstad@veths.no
MeSH Terms
- Angiography / methods
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Cartilage / pathology
- Cell Proliferation
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horses
- Ischemia / pathology
- Male
- Necrosis
- Osteochondritis / diagnosis
- Osteochondritis / veterinary
- Tarsal Bones / diagnostic imaging
- Tarsal Bones / pathology
- Time Factors
- Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods
Citations
This article has been cited 16 times.- Lemirre T, Santschi E, Girard C, Fogarty U, Chapuis L, Richard H, Beauchamp G, Laverty S. Maturation of the equine medial femoral condyle osteochondral unit. Osteoarthr Cartil Open 2020 Mar;2(1):100029.
- Olstad K, Aasmundstad T, Kongsro J, Grindflek E. Osteochondrosis and other lesions in all intervertebral, articular process and rib joints from occiput to sacrum in pigs with poor back conformation, and relationship to juvenile kyphosis. BMC Vet Res 2022 Jan 18;18(1):44.
- Mürer FK, Chattopadhyay B, Madathiparambil AS, Tekseth KR, Di Michiel M, Liebi M, Lilledahl MB, Olstad K, Breiby DW. Quantifying the hydroxyapatite orientation near the ossification front in a piglet femoral condyle using X-ray diffraction tensor tomography. Sci Rep 2021 Jan 25;11(1):2144.
- Hendrickson EHS, Lykkjen S, Dolvik NI, Olstad K. Prevalence of osteochondral lesions in the fetlock and hock joints of Standardbred horses that survived bacterial infection before 6 months of age. BMC Vet Res 2018 Dec 10;14(1):390.
- Lim CK, Hawkins JF, Vanderpool AL, Heng HG, Gillespie Harmon CC, Lenz SD. Osteochondritis dissecans-like lesions of the occipital condyle and cervical articular process joints in a Saddlebred colt horse. Acta Vet Scand 2017 Oct 30;59(1):76.
- Finnøy A, Olstad K, Lilledahl MB. Non-linear optical microscopy of cartilage canals in the distal femur of young pigs may reveal the cause of articular osteochondrosis. BMC Vet Res 2017 Aug 22;13(1):270.
- Hellings IR, Dolvik NI, Ekman S, Olstad K. Cartilage canals in the distal intermediate ridge of the tibia of fetuses and foals are surrounded by different types of collagen. J Anat 2017 Oct;231(4):615-625.
- Bertholle CP, Meijer E, Back W, Stegeman A, van Weeren PR, van Nes A. A longitudinal study on the performance of in vivo methods to determine the osteochondrotic status of young pigs. BMC Vet Res 2016 Mar 24;12:62.
- Hellings IR, Ekman S, Hultenby K, Dolvik NI, Olstad K. Discontinuities in the endothelium of epiphyseal cartilage canals and relevance to joint disease in foals. J Anat 2016 Jan;228(1):162-75.
- Olstad K, Hendrickson EH, Ekman S, Carlson CS, Dolvik NI. Local Morphological Response of the Distal Femoral Articular-Epiphyseal Cartilage Complex of Young Foals to Surgical Stab Incision and Potential Relevance to Cartilage Injury and Repair in Children. Cartilage 2013 Jul;4(3):239-48.
- Olstad K, Kongsro J, Grindflek E, Dolvik NI. Consequences of the natural course of articular osteochondrosis in pigs for the suitability of computed tomography as a screening tool. BMC Vet Res 2014 Sep 9;10:212.
- Olstad K. Science-in-brief: Recent advances in failure of the blood supply to growth cartilage, osteochondrosis and developmental orthopaedic disease. Equine Vet J 2025 Sep;57(5):1161-1166.
- Bertuglia A, Pallante M, Pagliara E, Valle D, Bergamini L, Bollo E, Bullone M, Riccio B. Determinants of joint effusion in tarsocrural osteochondrosis of yearling Standardbred horses. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1389798.
- Olstad K, Bugge MD, Ytrehus B, Kallerud AS. Closure of the neuro-central synchondrosis and other physes in foal cervical spines. Equine Vet J 2025 Jan;57(1):217-231.
- Tóth F, Nissi MJ, Armstrong AR, Buko EO, Johnson CP. Epiphyseal cartilage vascular architecture at the distal humeral osteochondritis dissecans predilection site in juvenile pigs. J Orthop Res 2024 Apr;42(4):737-744.
- Olstad K, Ekman S, Björnsdóttir S, Fjordbakk CT, Hansson K, Sigurdsson SF, Ley CJ. Osteochondrosis in the central and third tarsal bones of young horses. Vet Pathol 2024 Jan;61(1):74-87.
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