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Equine veterinary journal2021; 54(1); 82-96; doi: 10.1111/evj.13432

Radiological, vascular osteochondrosis occurs in the distal tarsus, and may cause osteoarthritis.

Abstract: Osteochondrosis occurs due to failure of the blood supply to growth cartilage. Osteochondrosis lesions have been identified in small tarsal bones and suggested to cause distal tarsal osteoarthritis; however, it has not been determined whether distal tarsal osteochondrosis lesions were the result of vascular failure. Objective: To perform post-mortem arterial perfusion and micro-computed tomography (CT) of the central (CTB) and third tarsal bones (TIII) of fetuses and foals up to 5 months old, to describe tarsal development and any lesions detected. Methods: Descriptive, nonconsecutive case series. Methods: Twenty-three animals that died or were euthanased from 228 days of gestation to 5 months old were collected, comprising two fetuses and nine foals of miscellaneous breeds and 12 Icelandic Horse foals, a breed with high prevalence of distal tarsal osteoarthritis. One hindlimb from each foal was perfused arterially with barium, and the CTB and TIII were examined with micro-CT. Results: Perfusion yielded partial information from 41% of the animals. The CTB and TIII were supplied by nutrient arteries and perichondrial vessels with vertical, transverse and circumferential configurations. Fourteen of the 23 (61%) animals had focal defects in the ossification front, that is, radiological osteochondrosis. The majority of lesions matched the configuration and development of vertical vessels. Additionally, full-thickness, cylindrical defects matched transverse vessels, and the long axes of some dorsal lesions matched circumferential vessels. Conclusions: Lack of histological validation. Conclusions: Post-mortem perfusion was poor for examination of the blood supply to the growth cartilage of the CTB and TIII. Radiological osteochondrosis lesions were compatible with vascular failure because they were focal, and because lesion geometry matched vessel configuration. The relationship between osteochondrosis and distal tarsal osteoarthritis warrants further investigation.
© 2021 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2021-03-09 PubMed ID: 33534938DOI: 10.1111/evj.13432Google 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.

This research examined how vascular failure may contribute to the development of osteochondrosis, a blood supply-related condition in the small bones of the foot and ankle, known as the tarsus. It also considered how osteochondrosis might lead to distal tarsal osteoarthritis.

Research Methodology

  • The main aim of the study was to analyze the development of tarsal (specifically the central and third tarsal bone) in fetuses and foals up till they are 5 months old. They also aimed to describe any detected lesions.”
  • The study was nonconsecutive and descriptive, examining a collection of 23 animals (two fetuses, nine foals from various breeds and 12 Icelandic Horse foals). The latter breed was specifically chosen due to its high prevalence of distal tarsal osteoarthritis.
  • The researchers conducted a post-mortem arterial perfusion using barium in one of the hind limbs. They utilized micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) for examining the central tarsal bone (CTB) and the third tarsal bone (T3).

Results and Findings

  • The researchers were able to obtain partial information from 41% of the subjects. This data indicated that the CTB and TIII were supplied by nutrient arteries and perichondrial vessels in vertical, transverse, and circumferential configurations.
  • They found that 14 out of the 23 examined animals (approximately 61%) had focal defects in the ossification front, indicative of radiological osteochondrosis.
  • The majority of detected lesions corresponded with the structure and development of vertical vessels. They also noticed certain full-thickness, cylindrical defects that matched the transverse vessels, and dorsal lesions that matched circumferential vessels.

Conclusions

  • The study found that post-mortem perfusion was not ideal for examining the blood supply to growth cartilage of the CTB and T3.
  • The configuration of radiological osteochondrosis lesions were compatible with vascular failure, as they appeared focussed and their geometric pattern matched vessel configuration.
  • The link between osteochondrosis and distal tarsal osteoarthritis, however, still warranted further exploration.
  • The main limitation of the study was the absence of histological validation.

Cite This Article

APA
Sigurdsson SF, Olstad K, Ley CJ, Björnsdóttir S, Griffiths DJ, Fjordbakk CT. (2021). Radiological, vascular osteochondrosis occurs in the distal tarsus, and may cause osteoarthritis. Equine Vet J, 54(1), 82-96. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13432

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 54
Issue: 1
Pages: 82-96

Researcher Affiliations

Sigurdsson, Sigurdur F
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Equine Section, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
Olstad, Kristin
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Equine Section, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
Ley, Charles J
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Björnsdóttir, Sigriður
  • Agricultural University of Iceland, Hvanneyri, Iceland.
Griffiths, David J
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Anatomy Section, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
Fjordbakk, Cathrine T
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Equine Section, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Ankle
  • Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Horses
  • Osteoarthritis / diagnostic imaging
  • Osteoarthritis / etiology
  • Osteoarthritis / veterinary
  • Osteochondrosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Osteochondrosis / veterinary
  • Tarsal Bones
  • X-Ray Microtomography

Grant Funding

  • H-16-47-192 / Norwegian-Swedish Foundation for Equine Research
  • 272326 / Norges Forskningsråd

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. 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.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.14486pubmed: 39924168google scholar: lookup
  2. 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.
    doi: 10.1177/03009858231185108pubmed: 37431760google scholar: lookup
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