REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: The sensitivity and specificity of lateral cervical radiographs to evaluate horses suspected of cervical stenotic myelopathy (CSM) are limited by the assessment being restricted to the sagittal plane. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows for a more accurate identification of stenosis than lateral cervical radiographs in horses with CSM. STUDY DESIGN: Case control study. METHODS: Nineteen Thoroughbred horses with CSM (17 males, 2 females, age 6-50 months) were compared to 9 control Thoroughbreds (6 males, 3 females, age 9-67 months). Ante mortem, the subjects had neurological examinations and standing cervical radiographs with sagittal ratios calculated from C3 to C7. Intact cervical column MRI scans and histological examinations of the spinal cord were performed post mortem. Morphometric parameters were measured on the vertebral canal, spinal cord and intervertebral foramen. RESULTS: Radiographic cervical canal height measurements categorised by standard minimal sagittal diameter intravertebral and intervertebral ratios produced several false positive and false negative determinations of canal stenosis as defined by spinal cord histopathology. Post mortem MRI measurements of canal area and cord canal area ratio more accurately predicted sites of cord compression in CSM cases. No differences in spinal cord measurements were observed when comparing CSM to control horses, but each of the vertebral canal parameters achieved significance at multiple sites. CONCLUSIONS: Vertebral canal area and cord canal area ratio are better parameters to predict the location of cervical canal stenosis compared to only the sagittal plane of canal height. Additional visual planes and measurements obtained by MRI, specifically vertebral canal area and the cord canal area ratio, will provide a more accurate method to identify regions of canal stenosis than lateral cervical radiographs. The development of MRI or computed tomography equipment capable of evaluating the cervical column of mature horses may substantially enhance evaluation of CSM patients. The Summary is available in Chinese - see Supporting information.
REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: The sensitivity and specificity of lateral cervical radiographs to evaluate horses suspected of cervical stenotic myelopathy (CSM) are limited by the assessment being restricted to the sagittal plane. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows for a more accurate identification of stenosis than lateral cervical radiographs in horses with CSM. STUDY DESIGN: Case control study. METHODS: Nineteen Thoroughbred horses with CSM (17 males, 2 females, age 6-50 months) were compared to 9 control Thoroughbreds (6 males, 3 females, age 9-67 months). Ante mortem, the subjects had neurological examinations and standing cervical radiographs with sagittal ratios calculated from C3 to C7. Intact cervical column MRI scans and histological examinations of the spinal cord were performed post mortem. Morphometric parameters were measured on the vertebral canal, spinal cord and intervertebral foramen. RESULTS: Radiographic cervical canal height measurements categorised by standard minimal sagittal diameter intravertebral and intervertebral ratios produced several false positive and false negative determinations of canal stenosis as defined by spinal cord histopathology. Post mortem MRI measurements of canal area and cord canal area ratio more accurately predicted sites of cord compression in CSM cases. No differences in spinal cord measurements were observed when comparing CSM to control horses, but each of the vertebral canal parameters achieved significance at multiple sites. CONCLUSIONS: Vertebral canal area and cord canal area ratio are better parameters to predict the location of cervical canal stenosis compared to only the sagittal plane of canal height. Additional visual planes and measurements obtained by MRI, specifically vertebral canal area and the cord canal area ratio, will provide a more accurate method to identify regions of canal stenosis than lateral cervical radiographs. The development of MRI or computed tomography equipment capable of evaluating the cervical column of mature horses may substantially enhance evaluation of CSM patients. The Summary is available in Chinese - see Supporting information.
Authors: Stefanie Veraa; Wilhelmina Bergmann; Inge D Wijnberg; Willem Back; Hans Vernooij; Mirjam Nielen; Antoon-Jan M van den Belt Journal: Vet Radiol Ultrasound Date: 2019-07-28 Impact factor: 1.363
Authors: Daniella P Vansteenkiste; Joelle M Fenger; Paolo Fadda; Paula Martin-Vaquero; Ronaldo C da Costa Journal: J Vet Intern Med Date: 2019-10-22 Impact factor: 3.333
Authors: Erin N Hales; Monica Aleman; Sabin A Marquardt; Scott A Katzman; Kevin D Woolard; Andrew D Miller; Carrie J Finno Journal: J Am Vet Med Assoc Date: 2021-06-15 Impact factor: 1.836
Authors: Joke Rijckaert; Bart Pardon; Luc Van Ham; Philip Joosten; Gunther van Loon; Piet Deprez Journal: BMC Vet Res Date: 2018-09-24 Impact factor: 2.741
Authors: Joke Rijckaert; Bart Pardon; Veronique Saey; Els Raes; Luc Van Ham; Richard Ducatelle; Gunther van Loon; Piet Deprez Journal: J Vet Intern Med Date: 2019-09-06 Impact factor: 3.333