Radiogrametric Analysis of the Thoracic Limb Phalanges in Arabian Horses and Thoroughbred Horses.
Abstract: In this study, it was aimed to determine the statistical differences between Arabian horses and Thoroughbred horses based on X-ray images of forelimb digital bones. Latero-medial X-ray images of digital bones of thoracic limbs were taken of 25 Arabian horses and 50 Thoroughbred healthy horses. The difference between males and females within the breed was statistically analyzed as well. Nine measurements and three indexes taken from phalanges of thoracic limbs were used. Thoroughbred horses did not differ significantly between sexes, as indicated by the ANOVA. For the Arabian horses, the length of the middle of the proximal phalanx ( < 0.05), the length of the middle of the middle phalanx ( < 0.001), and the length of the dorsal surface of the distal phalanx ( < 0.05) measurement points were found to be differentiated between sexes. In the analysis made between Thoroughbred horses and Arabian horses with no respect to sex, the critical measurement was the depth of the caput of the proximal phalanx. The discriminant analysis enabled the correct classification of 89.33% of the proximal phalanx samples to the exact breed. The correct classification rate was 77.33% in the case of middle phalanx and 54.67% in the case of distal phalanx. Measurement results of the distal phalanx were found to be insignificant between both breeds and sexes. The radiological measurements of digital bones showed that sexual dimorphism was not too expressed and that decisive differences were found between the breeds.
Publication Date: 2021-07-26 PubMed ID: 34438663PubMed Central: PMC8388425DOI: 10.3390/ani11082205Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research in question uses X-ray imaging to identify statistical differences in the forelimb bones of Arabian and Thoroughbred horses. It also explores differences between males and females within each breed.
Objective of the study
- The main purpose of this study was to decipher statistical differences between the forelimb digital bones, specifically the phalanges (finger bones), of Arabian horses and Thoroughbred horses. This was done by utilizing latero-medial X-ray images.
Methodology
- A sample of 75 healthy horses, 25 Arabian and 50 Thoroughbred, were chosen for the study.
- They then took nine different measurements and calculated three different indexes from phalanges of the thoracic limbs.
- Differences between males and females within each breed were also statistically analysed.
Key Findings
- The study found no significant differences between sexes in Thoroughbred horses based on the ANOVA statistical tests performed on the measurements.
- In Arabian horses, however, differences were found between sexes in three measurement points: the length of the middle of the proximal phalanx, the length of the middle of the middle phalanx, and the length of the dorsal surface of the distal phalanx.
- For both the Thoroughbred and Arabian horses, irrespective of sex, a critical measurement point was identified as the depth of the caput of the proximal phalanx.
Concluding Remarks
- The research pointed out that the distal phalanx measurements, in contrast to those of the proximal and middle phalanx, were found to be statistically insignificant for both breeds and sexes.
- The study concluded that sexual dimorphism (distinction between males and females) was not as significant, however, there were decisive differences between the two horse breeds in terms of digital bone measurements.
Significance of the Study
- These findings indicate that there are subtle, but potentially significant, differences in bone structure between Arabian and Thoroughbred horses, potentially affecting their physical abilities or health risks. This could open up new research avenues in equine medicine and breed-specific care.
Cite This Article
APA
Gündemir O, Szara T, Pazvant G, Erdikmen DO, Duro S, Perez W.
(2021).
Radiogrametric Analysis of the Thoracic Limb Phalanges in Arabian Horses and Thoroughbred Horses.
Animals (Basel), 11(8), 2205.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11082205 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul 34500, Turkey.
- Department of Morphological Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul 34500, Turkey.
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul 34500, Turkey.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University of Tirana, 1029 Tirana, Albania.
- Unidad de Anatomía, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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