Quantitative evaluation of cervical cord compression by computed tomographic myelography in Thoroughbred foals.
Abstract: Five Thoroughbred foals (age, 8-33 weeks; median age, 31 weeks; weight, 122-270 kg; median weight, 249 kg) exhibiting ataxia with suspected cervical myelopathy (n=4) and limb malformation (n=1) were subjected to computed tomographic (CT) myelography. The areas of the subarachnoid space and cervical cord were measured on transverse CT images. The area of the cervical cord was divided by the area of subarachnoid space, and stenosis ratios were quantitatively evaluated and compared on the basis of histopathological examination. The sites with a ratio above 52.8% could have been primary lesion sites in the histopathological examination, although one site with a ratio of 54.1% was not a primary lesion site. Therefore, in this study, a ratio between 52.8-54.1% was suggested to be borderline for physical compression that damages the cervical cord. All the cervical vertebrae could not be scanned in three of the five cases. Therefore, CT myelography is not a suitable method for locating the site of compression, but it should be used for quantitative evaluation of cervical stenosis diagnosed by conventional myelography. In conclusion, the stenosis ratios determined using CT myelography could be applicable for detecting primary lesion sites in the cervical cord.
Publication Date: 2016-12-15 PubMed ID: 27974873PubMed Central: PMC5155132DOI: 10.1294/jes.27.143Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research study concerns a computational technique used to detect cervical cord compression in five young Thoroughbred foals showcasing symptoms such as poor coordination of their bodies (ataxia), suspected spinal cord disease (cervical myelopathy), and limb malformation. The primary aim of the study was to refine the use of computed tomographic (CT) myelography to quantify the severity of such compressions based on a predetermined ratio.
Methods
- The study used a type of imaging technique, computed tomographic (CT) myelography, on five Thoroughbred foals that showed signs of ataxia, suspected cervical myelopathy, and limb malformation.
- The ages of the foals were between eight to thirty-three weeks, and they weighed between 122-270kg. Myelography produces an image of the spinal cord and subarachnoid space (space between layers of the brain and spinal cord), which contains cerebrospinal fluid.
- The researchers analyzed transverse CT images to measure the areas of the spinal cord and subarachnoid space. The area of the spinal cord was then divided by the area of the subarachnoid space to determine stenosis ratios – these ratios represent the level of compression. The higher the ratio, the higher the compression.
Results
- The researchers found that sites showing a stenosis ratio above 52.8% could potentially be primary sites of lesions according to histopathological examination.
- However, there was an exception: one site with a ratio of 54.1% was not identified as a primary lesion site. As such, the researchers concluded that a ratio between 52.8% to 54.1% could be considered a borderline threshold for determining physical compression causing damage to the cervical cord.
- In three out of five cases, it was not possible to scan all cervical vertebrae. This demonstrated a limitation of the CT myelography method, meaning it might not be suitable for determining the exact location of the compression. Nevertheless, the technique proved useful for quantitative assessment of the degree of cervical stenosis diagnosed via conventional myelography.
Conclusion
- The study concluded that calculating stenosis ratios using CT myelography could be a valid method for detecting the primary sites of lesions in the cervical cord of Thoroughbred foals exhibiting symptoms related to cervical cord compression.
Cite This Article
APA
Yamada K, Sato F, Hada T, Horiuchi N, Ikeda H, Nishihara K, Sasaki N, Kobayashi Y, Nambo Y.
(2016).
Quantitative evaluation of cervical cord compression by computed tomographic myelography in Thoroughbred foals.
J Equine Sci, 27(4), 143-148.
https://doi.org/10.1294/jes.27.143 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; Present affiliation: Azabu University, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan.
- Hidaka Training and Research Center, Japan Racing Association, Hokkaido 057-0171, Japan.
- Hidaka Training and Research Center, Japan Racing Association, Hokkaido 057-0171, Japan.
- Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
- Hidaka Horse Breeders Association, Hokkaido 056-0002, Japan.
- Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
- Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
- Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
- Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
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Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Kondo T, Sato F, Tsuzuki N, Yamada K. Sex differences in cervical spinal cord and spinal canal development in Thoroughbred horses. J Vet Med Sci 2022 Sep 21;84(10):1363-1367.
- Kondo T, Mashimo Y, Sato F, Tsuzuki N, Yamada K. Investigation of a contributing factor for cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy using computed tomography for measuring the cervical vertebral volume. J Vet Med Sci 2022 Aug 1;84(8):1084-1087.
- Kondo T, Sato F, Tsuzuki N, Watanabe K, Horiuchi N, Kobayashi Y, Yamada K. Characteristic computed tomographic myelography findings in 23 Thoroughbred horses. J Vet Med Sci 2022 Apr 13;84(4):525-532.
- Kondo T, Sato F, Tsuzuki N, Chen CJ, Yamada K. An objective index for spinal cord compression on computed tomography in Thoroughbred horses. Vet Med Sci 2022 May;8(3):1072-1078.
- Rijckaert J, Pardon B, Van Ham L, Joosten P, van Loon G, Deprez P. Magnetic motor evoked potentials of cervical muscles in horses. BMC Vet Res 2018 Sep 24;14(1):290.
- Nakamae Y, Ishihara A, Itoh M, Yanagawa M, Sasaki N, Yamada K. Displacement of the large colon in a horse with enterolithiasis due to changed positions observed by computed tomography. J Equine Sci 2018;29(1):9-13.
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