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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Transmural Ultrasonography in the Evaluation of Horse Hoof I...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2023; 13(12); 1951; doi: 10.3390/ani13121951

Transmural Ultrasonography in the Evaluation of Horse Hoof Internal Structures: Comparative Qualitative Findings-Part 1.

Abstract: Ultrasonography is commonly used to evaluate equine lameness-related structures, but traditional hoof approaches cannot adequately visualize internal structures such as the lamellar layer. To address this limitation, we used 62 healthy hooves without digital radiographic abnormalities, made up of thirty anatomical pieces (phase 1) and thirty-two hooves from living horses (phase 2). In both phases, half of the digits were submerged in water (group 1) and the other half in water and ice (group 2) for 24 h. Ultrasonographic views and temperature and humidity measurements were taken every two hours, and sagittal sections were obtained in phase 1. Good quality images were obtained in both phases. The transmural technique allowed the evaluation of several structures of the DEJ (tubular and lamellar strata of the hoof wall, sublamellar dermis, and solar and coronary papillae) and of the distal phalanx (extensor process, parietal surface, and apex). Our findings suggest that the transmural technique following hoof submersion can be useful for internal evaluation of hoof conditions, such as laminitis. However, further validation of the technique in natural or experimental cases is required.
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Publication Date: 2023-06-10 PubMed ID: 37370461PubMed Central: PMC10294856DOI: 10.3390/ani13121951Google 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 article is focused on a new method of using ultrasound technology to visualize the internal structures of a horse’s hoof, suggesting that this technique may be useful in diagnosing conditions like laminitis.

Objective of the Research

  • The study was conducted with the aim to overcome the existing limitation in visualizing the internal structures of a horse’s hoof, especially the lamellar layer, using traditional ultrasonography.

Methodology

  • 62 healthy horse hooves, with no digital radiographic abnormalities, made up the test sample.
  • These were split into thirty anatomical pieces (phase 1) and thirty-two hooves from living horses (phase 2).
  • In both phases, half of the hooves were submerged in water (group 1) and the other half in a mixture of water and ice (group 2) for a period of 24 hours.
  • Ultrasonographic views of the hooves, along with temperature and humidity measurements, were taken every two hours.
  • Sagittal sections were also obtained during the first phase of the study.

Findings

  • High-quality images of the hooves were obtained in both phases of the study, suggesting effective use of the ultrasonography technique.
  • This new technique, termed ‘transmural’, provided visibility of various structures within the hooves, including the DEJ (Dermo-Epidermal Junction) and the distal phalanx (the bone within the hoof).
  • Within the DEJ, the tubular and lamellar strata of the hoof wall, sublamellar dermis, and solar and coronary papillae were visualized.
  • In the distal phalanx, the extensor process, parietal surface, and apex were made visible through ultrasonography.

Implications and Conclusions

  • The results suggest that the transmural technique, following hoof submersion, could be valuable in the internal evaluation of horse hoof health and in diagnosing conditions such as laminitis.
  • The study concludes by emphasizing the need for further validation of this new technique through its application in natural or experimental cases.

Cite This Article

APA
Castro-Mesa AF, Resende Faleiros R, Martínez-Aranzales JR. (2023). Transmural Ultrasonography in the Evaluation of Horse Hoof Internal Structures: Comparative Qualitative Findings-Part 1. Animals (Basel), 13(12), 1951. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13121951

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 12
PII: 1951

Researcher Affiliations

Castro-Mesa, Andrés Felipe
  • Equine Medicine and Surgery Research Line (LIMCE), CENTAURO Research Group, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Antioquia, Colombia.
Resende Faleiros, Rafael
  • Equinova Research Group, School of Veterinary, Universidad Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil.
Martínez-Aranzales, José Ramón
  • Equine Medicine and Surgery Research Line (LIMCE), CENTAURO Research Group, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Antioquia, Colombia.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Castro-Mesa AF, Resende Faleiros R, Martínez-Aranzales JR. Transmural Ultrasonography in the Evaluation of Horse Hoof Internal Structures: Comparative Quantitative Findings-Part 2.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jul 11;13(14).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13142267pubmed: 37508045google scholar: lookup
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