Evaluation of different projections for radiographic detection of tarsal degenerative joint disease in Icelandic horses.

Radiographs from 196 tarsi in 98 Icelandic horses were evaluated to compare the accuracy of four different projections in detecting radiographic signs of degenerative joint disease in the distal tarsus. The extent and localization of tarsal degenerative joint disease found in one projection when reading all four projections of the same tarsus together was compared with the combined findings from all four projections. The results of reading individual radiographic projections without knowledge of the other three projections was also evaluated. Degenerative joint disease was detected most frequently in the plantarolateral-dorsomedial oblique (P1L-DMO) projection. The location with the highest relative frequency of radiographic findings was the dorsolateral aspect of the centrodistal and tarsometatarsal joints respectively. Radiographic signs of active bone remodelling was detected in 30 (33%) and periarticular osteophytes in 51 (56%) of 91 tarsi with degenerative joint disease.