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Open veterinary journal2019; 9(4); 317-321; doi: 10.4314/ovj.v9i4.7

Power Doppler to investigate superficial digital flexor tendinopathy in the horse.

Abstract: Recent advances in tendinopathy research have focused on tendon vascularization detected with Color Doppler (CD) ultrasound. The use of CD has also been described in horses in a study on chronic lesions of superficial digital flexor tendon and suspensory ligament. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and distribution of power Doppler (PD) signal in horses with superficial digital flexor tendinopathy. Twenty-five horses with tendinopathy were included and 10 healthy horses with no lameness and no ultrasonographic abnormalities were used for comparison. In all horses with tendinopathy, the PD signal was visible while normal tendons with no abnormalities in B-mode were PD signal-free. We can speculate that PD could provide essential information about the healing process than the grayscale ultrasound.
Publication Date: 2019-11-27 PubMed ID: 32042652PubMed Central: PMC6971361DOI: 10.4314/ovj.v9i4.7Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • 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 attempts to study the effectiveness of Power Doppler (PD) signal in detecting tendinopathy in horses. The primary focus was to compare PD signals in horses with tendinopathy and healthy horses, and it was found that PD could provide vital information about the healing process.

Objective of the Research

  • The main objective was to explore the occurrence and distribution of Power Doppler (PD) signal in horses suffering from superficial digital flexor tendinopathy.

Study Design

  • The study grouped thirty-five horses into two categories: twenty-five horses with diagnosed tendinopathy, and ten healthy horses who exhibited no signs of lameness or ultrasonographic abnormalities.
  • Both healthy horses and horses with tendinopathy were then scanned using color Doppler (CD) and Power Doppler (PD) ultrasound technology.

Important Findings

  • In all of the horses diagnosed with tendinopathy, the PD signal was distinctly visible giving evidence of the disease. The findings displayed a significant correlation between the presence of tendinopathy and the PD signal.
  • Conversely, healthy horses or horses with normal tendons showcased no PD signal which further substantiated the connection between the PD signal and tendinopathy.

Conclusion and Future Implications

  • This study validates the effectiveness of PD in detecting tendinopathy in horses and its potential in informing about the healing progress of the condition.
  • A speculation can be derived from the findings which dictates that PD could possibly furnish more critical information about the healing process over grayscale ultrasound. This creates a scope for future research focusing on validating this speculation and understanding the precise advantages of PD over the traditional grayscale ultrasound in veterinary medicine.

Cite This Article

APA
(2019). Power Doppler to investigate superficial digital flexor tendinopathy in the horse. Open Vet J, 9(4), 317-321. https://doi.org/10.4314/ovj.v9i4.7

Publication

ISSN: 2218-6050
NlmUniqueID: 101653182
Country: Libya
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 4
Pages: 317-321

Researcher Affiliations

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Horses
  • Lameness, Animal / etiology
  • Tendinopathy / diagnostic imaging
  • Tendinopathy / veterinary
  • Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / veterinary

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This article includes 20 references
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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Barrett MF, Goorchenko GE, Frisbie DD. Comparison of Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Identifying Soft Tissue Abnormalities in the Palmar Aspect of the Equine Digit. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jul 17;13(14).
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  2. 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.
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