USE OF CONTRAST-ENHANCED COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY TO ASSESS ANGIOGENESIS IN DEEP DIGITAL FLEXOR TENDONOPATHY IN A HORSE

• Published in: Veterinary radiology & ultrasound Vol. 50; no. 3; pp. 292 - 297
• Main Authors: PUCHALSKI, SARAH M, GALUPPO, LARRY D, DREW, CLIFTON P, WISNER, ERIK R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Malden, USA : Blackwell Publishing Inc 01-05-2009; Blackwell Publishing Inc
• Subjects: angiogenesis; Animals; blood vessels; computed tomography; contrast enhancement; Contrast Media; contrast-enhanced CT; deep digital flexor tendonopathy; disease diagnosis; equine deep digital flexor tendon; foot; foot diseases; Foot Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Foot Diseases - veterinary; Forelimb - diagnostic imaging; hooves; horse diseases; Horse Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Horses; Lameness, Animal - etiology; lesions (animal); magnetic resonance imaging; MRI; musculoskeletal diseases; Neovascularization, Pathologic - diagnostic imaging; Neovascularization, Pathologic - veterinary; tendinopathy; Tendinopathy - diagnostic imaging; Tendinopathy - veterinary; tendons; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - veterinary
• ISSN: 1058-8183; 1740-8261
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2009.01536.x

We compared contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and high field magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in a horse with deep digital flexor tendonopathy. Lesions in the distal extremity were documented grossly and histopathologically. In contrast-enhanced CT, the deep digital flexor tendon lesions were markedly contrast enhancing with evidence of angiogenesis in the core and dorsal border lesions. The lesion morphology was clearly delineated on MR imaging, but without contrast media angiogenesis cannot be identified. Gross examination, histopathologic examination, and CD31 immunohistochemistry confirmed the tendonopathy and an increased presence of small blood vessels. In this horse, deep digital flexor tendon lesions appeared similarly on contrast-enhanced CT and MR imaging. Contrast-enhanced CT may be an alternative to MR imaging for assessing tendon and ligament injury in the digit of the horse.