Comparison Between Ultrasonographic and Standing Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in the Podotrochlear Apparatus of Horses With Foot Pain

Laurence Evrard; Zoë Joostens; Maxime Vandersmissen; Fabrice Audigié; Valeria Busoni

doi:10.3389/fvets.2021.675180

Comparison Between Ultrasonographic and Standing Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in the Podotrochlear Apparatus of Horses With Foot Pain

Front Vet Sci. 2021 Jul 5:8:675180. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.675180. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Laurence Evrard¹, Zoë Joostens², Maxime Vandersmissen¹, Fabrice Audigié³, Valeria Busoni¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals and Equids, Equine Division, Diagnostic Imaging Section, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
² Medical Imaging Department, Equitom Equine Clinic, Lummen, Belgium.
³ Centre d'Imagerie et de Recherche sur les Affections Locomotrices Equines, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Goustranville, France.

Abstract

This prospective study aimed to blindly compare the ultrasonographic and standing magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) findings in deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT), navicular bone, and navicular bursa in horses with foot pain, positive digital analgesia, and without definitive radiographic diagnosis. Ultrasonography detected more DDFT abnormalities (32/34 feet vs. 27/34 with sMRI) but identified less palmar navicular abnormalities (23/34 feet vs. 30/34 with sMRI). In suprasesamoidean DDFT lesions, which were mainly dorsally located, changes in echogenicity did not correspond to a particular pattern of sMRI signal change. Transcuneal ultrasonography did not allow assessment of morphology and extent of distal DDFT lesions, and sporadically discriminated the affected lobe compared to sMRI. Defects of the palmar compact bone were identified with both modalities except a parasagittal defect, which was only seen at sMRI.

Keywords: MRI; equine; foot pain; navicular syndrome; ultrasound.