Ultrasonographic tissue characterization of equine superficial digital flexor tendons by means of gray level statistics.
Abstract: To correlate quantitative analysis of ultrasonographic images of normal (injury-free) equine superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendons and equine SFD tendons that have pathologic changes with corresponding histologic sections. Methods: 4 SDF tendons, 2 of which had various stages of tissue integrity. The 2 ipsilateral tendons were used as points of reference. Methods: Tendons were mounted in a custom-made device that permitted sequential scanning, transversely and perpendicular to the tendon long axis. At precise steps of 0.5 mm, transverse ultrasonographic images were collected. Subsequently, tendons were fixed and prepared for histologic examination. The following 8 tissue types were discerned: normal young, normal old, necrotic, early granulation, late granulation, early fibrotic, late fibrotic, and scar tissues. In areas of interest, the corresponding ultrasonographic images were selected for gray level statistical analysis. Results: Compared with other tissue types, early-stage granulation tissue was characterized by substantially lower mean gray level and a clearly different histogram. Necrotic tissue had a higher mean gray level, with a virtually normal histogram. In late granulation and early fibrotic tissues, the mean gray level and the histogram could not be discerned from those of normal tendon tissue. The same applied to late fibrotic and scar tissues; mean gray levels were fractionally lower than those of normal tendon tissue with a completely normal histogram. Conclusions: Although quantification of the transverse ultrasonographic image by use of first-order gray level statistics may be helpful, the method is not sufficiently sensitive to accurately and unequivocally determine the type of tendon tissue. Quantitative analysis should incorporate transverse and longitudinal information.
Publication Date: 2000-02-24 PubMed ID: 10685695DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.2000.61.210Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article presents an attempt to correlate the quantitative analysis of ultrasound images of normal and damaged equine superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendons with respective histologic sections. Despite some promising results, the technique is not deemed to be sensitive enough to accurately identify the type of tendon tissue.
Methodology
- Four SDF tendons were used for the study out of which two had varied stages of damaged tissue integrity. The two undamaged tendons were used for reference.
- The tendons were placed in a custom device allowing for sequential scanning, crosswise and vertical to the tendon’s long axis. The ultrasonographic images were taken in every 0.5 mm step.
- After the scanning, the tendons were fixed and prepared for a histological examination. The study discerned eight tissue types: normal young, normal old, necrotic, early granulation, late granulation, early fibrotic, late fibrotic, and scar tissues.
- The relevant ultrasonographic images were selected for a gray level statistical analysis.
Results
- The study found that compared to other tissue types, the early-stage granulation tissue had characteristically lower mean gray level and a distinctly different histogram. Necrotic tissue, on the other hand, demonstrated a higher mean gray level with an almost normal histogram.
- The researchers observed that in late granulation and early fibrotic tissues, it was difficult to distinguish the mean gray level and the histogram from those of normal tendon tissue. The same applied to late fibrotic and scar tissues.
Conclusions
- Although the study found that quantifying the transverse ultrasound image using first-order gray level statistics could be useful, the method was not sensitive enough to accurately determine the type of tendon tissue.
- The researchers concluded that quantitative analysis should incorporate both transverse and longitudinal information for a more accurate determination of tissue types.
Cite This Article
APA
van Schie HT, Bakker EM, Jonker AM, van Weeren PR.
(2000).
Ultrasonographic tissue characterization of equine superficial digital flexor tendons by means of gray level statistics.
Am J Vet Res, 61(2), 210-219.
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.2000.61.210 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Raaphorst Equine Clinic, Wassenaar, The Netherlands.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Female
- Granuloma / diagnostic imaging
- Granuloma / pathology
- Granuloma / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
- Horses
- Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
- Male
- Necrosis
- Tendinopathy / diagnostic imaging
- Tendinopathy / pathology
- Tendinopathy / veterinary
- Tendons / diagnostic imaging
- Tendons / pathology
- Ultrasonography / methods
- Ultrasonography / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Depuydt E, Broeckx SY, Van Hecke L, Chiers K, Van Brantegem L, van Schie H, Beerts C, Spaas JH, Pille F, Martens A. The Evaluation of Equine Allogeneic Tenogenic Primed Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Surgically Induced Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon Lesion Model.. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:641441.
- Crawford SK, Lee KS, Bashford GR, Heiderscheit BC. Intra-session and inter-rater reliability of spatial frequency analysis methods in skeletal muscle.. PLoS One 2020;15(7):e0235924.
- Lawson A, Noorkoiv M, Masci L, Mohagheghi AA. Ankle Joint Position and the Reliability of Ultrasound Tissue Characterization of the Achilles Tendon: A Pilot Study.. Med Sci Monit 2019 Sep 13;25:6884-6893.
- Pereira CS, Santos RCG, Whiteley R, Finni T. Reliability and methodology of quantitative assessment of harvested and unharvested patellar tendons of ACL injured athletes using ultrasound tissue characterization.. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2019;11:12.
- Rudavsky A, Cook J, Magnusson SP, Kjaer M, Docking S. Characterising the proximal patellar tendon attachment and its relationship to skeletal maturity in adolescent ballet dancers.. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J 2017 Apr-Jun;7(2):306-314.
- Geburek F, Roggel F, van Schie HTM, Beineke A, Estrada R, Weber K, Hellige M, Rohn K, Jagodzinski M, Welke B, Hurschler C, Conrad S, Skutella T, van de Lest C, van Weeren R, Stadler PM. Effect of single intralesional treatment of surgically induced equine superficial digital flexor tendon core lesions with adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells: a controlled experimental trial.. Stem Cell Res Ther 2017 Jun 5;8(1):129.
- Geburek F, Gaus M, van Schie HT, Rohn K, Stadler PM. Effect of intralesional platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment on clinical and ultrasonographic parameters in equine naturally occurring superficial digital flexor tendinopathies - a randomized prospective controlled clinical trial.. BMC Vet Res 2016 Sep 7;12(1):191.
- Nadeau MJ, Desrochers A, Lamontagne M, Larivière C, Gagnon DH. Quantitative ultrasound imaging of Achilles tendon integrity in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals: reliability and minimal detectable change.. J Foot Ankle Res 2016;9:30.
- Spinella G, Britti D, Loprete G, Musella V, Romagnoli N, Vilar JM, Valentini S. Relative Echogenicity of Tendons and Ligaments of the Palmar Metacarpal Region in Foals from Birth to 4 Months of Age: A Longitudinal Study.. PLoS One 2016;11(7):e0159953.
- Neumann G, Teras R, Monson L, Kivisaar M, Schauer F, Heipieper HJ. Simultaneous degradation of atrazine and phenol by Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP: effects of toxicity and adaptation.. Appl Environ Microbiol 2004 Apr;70(4):1907-12.
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