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Home / Equine Research Bank / Am J Vet Res / Thermography in the diagnosis of inflammatory processes in t...
American journal of veterinary research1980; 41(8); 1167-1174;

Thermography in the diagnosis of inflammatory processes in the horse.

Abstract: To evaluate the use of thermography in equine medicine, a three-phase study was conducted. In the first phase, six horses were examined thermographically, before and after exercise, to determine a normal thermal pattern. In the second phase, nine horses with acute and chronic inflammatory processes were examined thermographically. In the third phase, thermography was used to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs on chemically induced inflammatory reactions. All normal horses tested had similar infrared emission patterns. There was a high degree of symmetry between right and left and between front (dorsal) to rear (palmar, plantar) in the legs distal to the carpus and the tarsus. The warmer areas of the thermogram tended to follow major vascular structures. The coronary band was the warmest area of the leg. Heat increase due to exercise did not substantially alter the normal thermographic pattern. Use of thermography in clinical cases successfully detected a subluxation of the third lumbar vertebra, a subsolar abscess, alveolar periostitis and abscess, laminitis, serous arthritis of the femoropatellar joint, and tendonitis. Thermography was effective in quantitative and qualitative evaluation of anti-inflammatory compounds in the treatment of chemically induced inflammation.
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Publication Date: 1980-08-01 PubMed ID: 7447110
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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 paper explores the use of thermography, a method of detecting warmth, in diagnosing and monitoring inflammatory processes in horses. The study involved three phases, one looking at normal thermal patterns in six horses, another examining nine horses with acute and chronic inflammatory conditions using thermography, and the third using thermography to gauge the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs on chemically-induced inflammation.

Normal Thermal Patterns

  • The first phase of the study focused on establishing what is considered a normal thermal pattern in horses. This was achieved by performing thermographic examinations on six horses both before and after they exercised. The findings indicated that all the normal horses had similar infrared emission patterns.
  • The study found a significant degree of symmetry between the right and left side of the horses and also between the front (dorsal) to rear (palmar, plantar) in the legs distal to the carpus and the tarsus.
  • The warmer areas of the thermogram, the visual output of the thermography, usually followed the major vascular structures of the horse’s body. Among these, the coronary band was found to be the warmest area of the leg.
  • The heat increase due to exercise was found not to substantially alter the normal thermographic pattern.

    • Use of Thermography in Clinical Cases

  • In the second phase of the study, thermography was used to examine nine horses with acute and chronic inflammatory processes.
  • The use of thermography was successful in detecting a wide range of conditions in the horses. Issues detected included a subluxation of the third lumbar vertebra, a subsolar abscess, alveolar periostitis and abscess, laminitis, serous arthritis of the femoropatellar joint, and tendonitis.

    • Assessing Effectiveness of Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

  • The third phase of the study utilized thermography to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory compounds in treating chemically induced inflammation.
  • The researchers found that thermography was effective in both a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the anti-inflammatory compounds. This means it allowed for both measuring the extent of the inflammation and assessing the nature of the inflammation and the response to the treatment.

    • Cite This Article

    APA
    Purohit RC, McCoy MD. (1980). Thermography in the diagnosis of inflammatory processes in the horse. Am J Vet Res, 41(8), 1167-1174.

    Publication

    American journal of veterinary research
    ISSN: 0002-9645
    NlmUniqueID: 0375011
    Country: United States
    Language: English
    Volume: 41
    Issue: 8
    Pages: 1167-1174

    Researcher Affiliations

    Purohit, R C
      McCoy, M D

        MeSH Terms

        • Animals
        • Female
        • Foot Diseases / diagnosis
        • Foot Diseases / veterinary
        • Forelimb / injuries
        • Fractures, Bone / diagnosis
        • Fractures, Bone / veterinary
        • Hoof and Claw
        • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
        • Horses
        • Inflammation / diagnosis
        • Inflammation / veterinary
        • Joint Dislocations / diagnosis
        • Joint Dislocations / veterinary
        • Lumbar Vertebrae / injuries
        • Male
        • Scapula / injuries
        • Tendinopathy / diagnosis
        • Tendinopathy / veterinary
        • Thermography / veterinary

        Citations

        This article has been cited 15 times.
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          pubmed: 37790270
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