Authors: Dariush Vosough ; Mohammad Mehdi Molaei; Majid Masoudifard; Mohammad Karamouzian; Farzaneh Hosseininejat
Iranian Journal of Veterinary Surgery, Article 3, Volume 02, Issue 5, Autumn 2007, Page 25-36
Receive Date: 05 August 2007, Accept Date: 05 August 2007
Abstract
Objective: To consider the possibility of ultrasonography evaluation of the plantar tendonsand ligaments and prepare a standard reference for it.
Animals: 7 female healthy Caspian miniature horses’-age 7 year- no clinical sign of lamenessand prior to presentation.
Procedure- The ultrasonography of the right and the left metatarsal region was performedusing a Pie Medical 100 Falco Vet and an 8MHZ linear transducer. The area forultrasonography was divided to 9 levels (1a-1b-2a-2b-3a-3b-4a-4b-5a), each 3 cm long afterwards.
Results: All the structures started to appear with an acceptable contrast and visibility at the 2alevel. SDFT and DDFT were well observed from the level 2a however, no definite borders were recognizable as ICL (except one case) and echogenicity of DDFT from the 2b level washy perechoic to isoechoic comparing SDFT and SL from this level observed the branching area was hyperechoic in compare with DDFT & SDFT, however MSL & LSL were hypoechoiccomparing SDFT and DDFT.
There aren’t any difference echogenicity between right and left hind limb.Conclusion and Clinical Relevance- Investigations have proved that there’s no differencebetween the echogenicity of each ligament and tendon in different levels in the left and right limbs which was confirmed in the current inspection as wellThe conclusions of the current study on the Caspian horse were shown too that highly compatible with the previous vestigations in horses on echogenicity and shape of the plantartendons and ligaments.
Generally it is assumed that transverse images provide a better image often dons and ligaments and any injury in any part of the above structures can be diagnosed easily, however some probable injuries around the tendon may be left unseen in longitudinal images.