Power Doppler to investigate superficial digital flexor tendinopathy in the horse

Open Vet J. 2020 Jan;9(4):317-321. doi: 10.4314/ovj.v9i4.7. Epub 2019 Nov 27.

Abstract

Background: Recent advances in tendinopathy research have focused on tendon vascularization detected with Color Doppler (CD) ultrasound. The use of CD has also been described in horses in a study on chronic lesions of superficial digital flexor tendon and suspensory ligament.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and distribution of power Doppler (PD) signal in horses with superficial digital flexor tendinopathy.

Methods: Twenty-five horses with tendinopathy were included and 10 healthy horses with no lameness and no ultrasonographic abnormalities were used for comparison.

Results: In all horses with tendinopathy, the PD signal was visible while normal tendons with no abnormalities in B-mode were PD signal-free.

Conclusion: We can speculate that PD could provide essential information about the healing process than the grayscale ultrasound.

Keywords: Horse; Power Doppler; SDFT; Tendinopathy.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Horses
  • Lameness, Animal / etiology
  • Tendinopathy / diagnostic imaging
  • Tendinopathy / veterinary*
  • Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / veterinary*