FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Multi-Detector Helical Computed Tomography, Transrectal Ultr...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2025; 15(13); 1995; doi: 10.3390/ani15131995

Multi-Detector Helical Computed Tomography, Transrectal Ultrasonography, and Histology of the Sacroiliac Joint: A Comparative Study in Adult Warmblood Horse Cadavers.

Abstract: This study described, assessed and correlated ultrasonographic, computed tomographic, and histological findings in the sacroiliac joints of adult Warmblood horse cadavers. In total, 25 joints from 15 horses were examined post-mortem using transrectal ultrasonography and helical computed tomography. Findings on computed tomography were graded in the caudal joint third (caudally) and for the entire joint as mild, moderate, or severe. In total, 11 joints from nine horses were evaluated histologically. All joints (100%) showed abnormalities on computed tomography, and 92% (23/25) displayed abnormal ultrasonographic findings. The most common ultrasonographic findings were osteophytes (92%), joint effusion (76%), and sacral/iliac bone modeling (76%). Computed tomography revealed osteophytes (92% caudally, 100% overall), sclerosis (72% caudally, 88% overall), subchondral bone lesions (60% caudally, 88% overall), and enthesophytes (60% caudally, 68% overall). The most severe CT findings occurred caudally (44%), whereas 24% occurred cranially,16% in the mid portion of the SIJ, and 16% were multifocally present in the SIJ Histological analysis showed degenerative changes in the cartilage, subchondral bone, and the joint capsule. Horses with more pronounced imaging abnormalities also showed corresponding histological degeneration. Significant correlations were found between computed tomographic findings caudally and in the entire joint (r = 0.915, < 0.001, = 25), and between imaging and histological findings (computed tomography: r = 0.731, = 0.011, = 11; ultrasonography: r = 0.67, = 0.024, = 11). Non-significant correlations were observed between mean ultrasonographic and computed-tomographic grades (r = 0.35, = 0.087, = 25). Findings suggest these structural changes may reflect adaptation to joint loading. Transrectal ultrasonography appears suitable as a first-line diagnostic tool. However, future studies are essential to compare the diagnostic imaging findings of SIJs in asymptomatic and symptomatic horses to elucidate their clinical relevance.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2025-07-07 PubMed ID: 40646894PubMed Central: PMC12248472DOI: 10.3390/ani15131995Google 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.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

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 comparative study of the sacroiliac joint in adult warmblood horse cadavers using multi-detector helical computed tomography, transrectal ultrasonography, and histology. Its findings suggest structural changes in these joints could be adaptations to joint loading, and that transrectal ultrasonography can serve as a reliable initial diagnostic tool.

Study Design and Joints Examined

  • The research team examined 25 sacroiliac joints from 15 adult Warmblood horse cadavers, using transrectal ultrasonography and helical computed tomography.
  • The sacroiliac joint’s condition was graded on computed tomography as mild, moderate, or severe, focusing on the caudal joint third (towards the back) and on the joint as a whole.
  • Further, Histological evaluation was performed on 11 joints from nine horses.

Key Research Findings

  • All the examined joints (100%) showed abnormalities on computed tomography, and 92% (23 out of 25) showed abnormal ultrasonographic findings.
  • The most frequent abnormal findings included osteophytes (bone spurs), joint effusion (excessive accumulation of fluid in the joint), and sacral/iliac bone modeling.
  • The severity of the computed tomography findings seemed to be more pronounced toward the back of the joint (44%), whereas 24% were at the front, 16% in the middle, and 16% were present in multiple areas within the joint.

Correspondence Between Different Diagnostic Methods

  • There were significant correlations observed between the computed tomography findings towards the back and those of the entire joint, and similarly between imaging and histological findings.
  • Non-significant correlations were observed between mean ultrasonographic and computed-tomographic grades, emphasizing the significance of comprehensive imaging for joint health evaluation.

Implications and Future Research

  • The study suggests that the observed structural changes in the sacroiliac joints of these horses may be indicative of adaptation to joint loading.
  • The findings validate the use of transrectal ultrasonography as a useful initial diagnostic tool for examining the sacroiliac joint in horses.
  • Future work should compare diagnostic imaging findings of sacroiliac joints in both asymptomatic and symptomatic horses. This will further clarify the clinical relevance and reflect a more practical utility of these imaging modalities.

Cite This Article

APA
Mathys RA, Schmitz TR, Geyer H, Borel N, Hilbe M, Ohlerth S, Bischofberger AS. (2025). Multi-Detector Helical Computed Tomography, Transrectal Ultrasonography, and Histology of the Sacroiliac Joint: A Comparative Study in Adult Warmblood Horse Cadavers. Animals (Basel), 15(13), 1995. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15131995

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 13
PII: 1995

Researcher Affiliations

Mathys, Rebecca A
  • Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
Schmitz, Thomas R
  • Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
Geyer, Hans
  • Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
Borel, Nicole
  • Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
Hilbe, Monika
  • Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
Ohlerth, Stefanie
  • Clinic for Diagnostic Imaging, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
Bischofberger, Andrea S
  • Clinic for Diagnostic Imaging, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

This article includes 42 references
  1. Dyson S, Murray R. Pain associated with the sacroiliac joint region: A clinical study of 74 horses.. Equine Vet. J. 2003;35:240–245.
    doi: 10.2746/042516403776148255pubmed: 12755425google scholar: lookup
  2. Barstow A, Dyson S. Clinical features and diagnosis of sacroiliac joint region pain in 296 horses: 2004-2014.. Equine Vet. Educ. 2015;27:637–647.
    doi: 10.1111/eve.12377google scholar: lookup
  3. Jeffcott L.B, Dalin G, Ekman S, Olsson S.E. Sacroiliac lesions as a cause of chronic poor performance in competitive horses.. Equine Vet. J. 1985;17:111–118.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1985.tb02063.xpubmed: 3987658google scholar: lookup
  4. Haussler K.K. Functional Anatomy and Pathophysiology of Sacroiliac Joint Disease.. Proc. Annu. Conv. Am. Assoc. Equine Pract. 2004;50:361–366.
  5. Gorgas D, Kircher P, Doherr M.G, Ueltschi G, Lang J. Radiographic technique and anatomy of the equine sacroiliac region.. Vet. Radiol. Ultrasound. 2007;48:501–506.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2007.00287.xpubmed: 18018720google scholar: lookup
  6. Gorgas D, Luder P, Lang J, Doherr M.G, Ueltschi G, Kircher P. Scintigraphic and radiographic appearance of the sacroiliac region in horses with gait abnormalities or poor performance.. Vet. Radiol. Ultrasound. 2009;50:208–214.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2009.01519.xpubmed: 19400471google scholar: lookup
  7. Erichsen C, Berger M, Eksell P. The scintigraphic anatomy of the equine sacroiliac joint.. Vet. Radiol. Ultrasound. 2002;43:287–292.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2002.tb01005.xpubmed: 12088326google scholar: lookup
  8. Erichsen C, Eksell P, Widstrom C, Berger M, Holm K.R, Johnston C. Scintigraphy of the sacroiliac joint region in asymptomatic riding horses: Scintigraphic appearance and evaluation of method.. Vet. Radiol. Ultrasound. 2003;44:699–706.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2003.tb00534.xpubmed: 14703254google scholar: lookup
  9. Dyson S, Murray R, Branch M, Harding E. The sacroiliac joints: Evaluation using nuclear scintigraphy. Part 2: Lame horses.. Equine Vet. J. 2003;35:233–239.
    doi: 10.2746/042516403776148282pubmed: 12755424google scholar: lookup
  10. Tallaj A, Coudry V, Denoix J.M. Transrectal ultrasonographic examination of the sacroiliac joints of the horse: Abnormal findings and lesions.. Equine Vet. Educ. 2017;32:33–38.
    doi: 10.1111/eve.12858google scholar: lookup
  11. Quiney L.E, Ireland J.L, Dyson S.J. Evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of skeletal scintigraphy in lame and poorly performing sports horses.. Vet. Radiol. Ultrasound. 2018;59:477–489.
    doi: 10.1111/vru.12626pubmed: 29738101google scholar: lookup
  12. Tallaj A, Coudry V, Denoix J.M. Transrectal ultrasonographic examination of the sacroiliac joints of the horse: Technique and normal images.. Equine Vet. Educ. 2017;31:666–671.
    doi: 10.1111/eve.12845google scholar: lookup
  13. Tomlinson J.E, Sage A.M, Turner T.A. Ultrasonographic abnormalities detected in the sacroiliac area in twenty cases of upper hindlimb lameness.. Equine Vet. J. 2003;35:48–54.
    doi: 10.2746/042516403775467540pubmed: 12553462google scholar: lookup
  14. Tomlinson J.E, Sage A.M, Turner T.A, Feeney D.A. Detailed ultrasonographic mapping of the pelvis in clinically normal horses and ponies.. Am. J. Vet. Res. 2001;62:1768–1775.
    doi: 10.2460/ajvr.2001.62.1768pubmed: 11703022google scholar: lookup
  15. Bergman E.H.J, Puchalski S.M, Denoix J.M. How to perform a transrectal ultrasound examination of the lumbosacral and sacroiliac joints.. Proc. Am. Assoc. Equine Pract. 2013;59:229–230.
  16. Engeli E, Yeager A.E, Erb H.N, Haussler K.K. Ultrasonographic technique and normal anatomic features of the sacroiliac region in horses.. Vet. Radiol. Ultrasound. 2006;47:391–403.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2006.00159.xpubmed: 16863059google scholar: lookup
  17. Backlund J, Clewett Dahl E, Skorpil M. Is CT indicated in diagnosing sacroiliac joint degeneration?. Clin. Radiol. 2017;72:693.E9–693.E13.
    doi: 10.1016/j.crad.2017.03.006pubmed: 28388969google scholar: lookup
  18. Carnevale M, Jones J, Holaskova I, Sponenberg D.P. CT and gross pathology are comparable methods for detecting some degenerative sacroiliac joint lesions in dogs.. Vet. Radiol. Ultrasound. 2019;60:378–389.
    doi: 10.1111/vru.12749pmc: PMC6606336pubmed: 30993826google scholar: lookup
  19. Carnevale M, Jones J, Li G, Sharp J, Olson K, Bridges W. Computed Tomographic Evaluation of the Sacroiliac Joints of Young Working Labrador Retrievers of Various Work Status Groups: Detected Lesions Vary Among the Different Groups and Finite Element Analyses of the Static Pelvis Yields Repeatable Measures of Sacroiliac Ligament Joint Strain.. Front. Vet. Sci. 2020;7:528.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00528pmc: PMC7457059pubmed: 32923474google scholar: lookup
  20. Wise R, Jones J, Werre S, Aguirre M. The prevalence of sacroiliac joint CT and MRI findings is high in large breed dogs.. Vet. Radiol. Ultrasound. 2022;63:739–748.
    doi: 10.1111/vru.13109pmc: PMC9669105pubmed: 35679472google scholar: lookup
  21. Scilimati N, Angeli G, Di Meo A, Dall’Aglio C, Pepe M, Beccati F. Post-Mortem Computed Tomographic Features of the Most Caudal Lumbar Vertebrae, Anatomical Variations and Acquired Osseous Pathological Changes, in a Mixed Population of Horses.. Animals. 2023;13:743.
    doi: 10.3390/ani13040743pmc: PMC9951930pubmed: 36830530google scholar: lookup
  22. Ogden N.K.E, Winderickx K, Bennell A, Stack J.D. Computed tomography of the equine caudal spine and pelvis: Technique, image quality and anatomical variation in 56 clinical cases (2018-2023). Equine Vet. J. 2024:1–14.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.14422pubmed: 39390752google scholar: lookup
  23. Dalin G, Jeffcott L.B. Sacroiliac joint of the horse. 1. Gross morphology.. Anat. Histol. Embryol. 1986;15:80–94.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0264.1986.tb00533.xpubmed: 2939777google scholar: lookup
  24. Rümens D, Patan B, Probst A, Polsterer E, Macher R, Stanek C, König H.E. The iliosacral connection: A problem associated area of the equine back.. Pferdeheilkunde Equine Med. 2007;23:21–26.
    doi: 10.21836/PEM20070102google scholar: lookup
  25. Cassidy J, Townsend H. Sacroiliac joint strain as a cause of back pain in man—Implications for the horse.. Proc. Annu. Conv. Am. Assoc. Equine Pract. 1986:317–333.
  26. Dalin G, Jeffcott L.B. Sacroiliac joint of the horse. 2. Morphometric features.. Anat. Histol. Embryol. 1986;15:97–107.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0264.1986.tb00534.xpubmed: 2944442google scholar: lookup
  27. Denoix J.M. Ligament injuries of the axial skeleton in the horse: Supraspinal and sacroiliac desmopathies; Proceedings of the Dubai International Equine Symposium; Dubai, United Arab Emirates.. 27–30 March 1996; pp. 273–286.
  28. Quiney L, Stewart J, Routh J, Dyson S. Gross post-mortem and histological features in 27 horses with confirmed lumbosacral region pain and five control horses: A descriptive cadaveric study.. Equine Vet. J. 2022;54:726–739.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.13488pubmed: 34118082google scholar: lookup
  29. McIlwraith C.W, Frisbie D.D, Kawcak C.E, Fuller C.J, Hurtig M, Cruz A. The OARSI histopathology initiative—Recommendations for histological assessments of osteoarthritis in the horse.. Osteoarthr. Cartil. 2010;18((Suppl. S3)):S93–S105.
    doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2010.05.031pubmed: 20864027google scholar: lookup
  30. Faflia C.P, Prassopoulos P.K, Daskalogiannaki M.E, Gourtsoyiannis N.C. Variation in the appearance of the normal sacroiliac joint on pelvic CT.. Clin. Radiol. 1998;53:742–746.
    doi: 10.1016/S0009-9260(98)80316-4pubmed: 9817091google scholar: lookup
  31. Haussler K.K, Stover S.M, Willits N.H. Pathologic changes in the lumbosacral vertebrae and pelvis in Thoroughbred racehorses.. Am. J. Vet. Res. 1999;60:143–153.
    doi: 10.2460/ajvr.1999.60.02.143pubmed: 10048543google scholar: lookup
  32. Vogler J.B., 3rd, Brown W.H, Helms C.A, Genant H.K. The normal sacroiliac joint: A CT study of asymptomatic patients.. Radiology. 1984;151:433–437.
    doi: 10.1148/radiology.151.2.6709915pubmed: 6709915google scholar: lookup
  33. Shibata Y, Shirai Y, Miyamoto M. The aging process in the sacroiliac joint: Helical computed tomography analysis.. J. Orthop. Sci. 2002;7:12–18.
    doi: 10.1007/s776-002-8407-1pubmed: 11819126google scholar: lookup
  34. Ogden N.K.E, Winderickx K, Stack J.D. Computed tomography of the equine caudal spine and pelvis. Pathological findings in 56 clinical cases (2018–2023). Equine Vet. J. 2024:1–11.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.14426pubmed: 39428125google scholar: lookup
  35. Engeli E, Haussler K. Review of injection techniques targeting the sacroiliac region in horses.. Equine Vet. Educ. 2012;24:529–541.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3292.2011.00313.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  36. Ekman S, Dalin G, Olsson S.E, Jeffcott L.B. Sacroiliac joint of the horse. 3. Histological appearance.. Anat. Histol. Embryol. 1986;15:108–121.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0264.1986.tb00535.xpubmed: 2944437google scholar: lookup
  37. Dreier R. Hypertrophic differentiation of chondrocytes in osteoarthritis: The developmental aspect of degenerative joint disorders.. Arthritis Res. Ther. 2010;12:216.
    doi: 10.1186/ar3117pmc: PMC2990991pubmed: 20959023google scholar: lookup
  38. Jaswal A.P, Bandyopadhyay A. Re-examining osteoarthritis therapy from a developmental biologist’s perspective.. Biochem. Pharmacol. 2019;165:17–23.
    doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2019.03.020pubmed: 30922620google scholar: lookup
  39. Scilimati N, Beccati F, Dall’Aglio C, Di Meo A, Pepe M. Age and sex correlate with bony changes and anatomic variations of the lumbosacroiliac region of the vertebral column in a mixed population of horses.. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 2022;261:258–265.
    doi: 10.2460/javma.22.07.0293pubmed: 36350755google scholar: lookup
  40. Haussler K.K. Anatomy of the thoracolumbar vertebral region.. Vet. Clin. N. Am. Equine Pract. 1999;15:13–26.
    doi: 10.1016/S0749-0739(17)30161-Xpubmed: 10218239google scholar: lookup
  41. Haussler K.K, McGilvray K.C, Ayturk U.M, Puttlitz C.M, Hills A.E, McIlwraith C.W. Deformation of the equine pelvis in response to in vitro 3D sacroiliac joint loading.. Equine Vet. J. 2009;41:207–212.
    doi: 10.2746/042516409X395697pubmed: 19469222google scholar: lookup
  42. Müller-Quirin J, Dittmann M.T, Roepstorff C, Arpagaus S, Latif S.N, Weishaupt M.A. Riding Soundness-Comparison of Subjective with Objective Lameness Assessments of Owner-Sound Horses at Trot on a Treadmill.. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 2020;95:103314.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103314pubmed: 33276930google scholar: lookup

Citations

This article has been cited 0 times.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.