Ultrasonography accurately detects equine cervical articular process joint effusion with comparable performance to...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary diagnostic imaging
• Equine orthopedics
• Comparative imaging modalities

Background:

• Joint effusion in equine cervical articular process joints (CAPJs) can indicate pathology.
• Accurate detection of effusion is crucial for diagnosis and treatment planning.
• Ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) are imaging modalities used in equine veterinary medicine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare effusion scores obtained via ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) in equine cervical articular process joints (CAPJs).
• To evaluate the sensitivity and accuracy of US and CT in detecting joint effusion across different cervical regions and injected volumes.

Main Methods:

• Cadaveric equine cervical specimens were used.
• Equine cervical articular process joints (CAPJs) were injected with varying volumes of contrast solution.
• Joints were imaged using both US and CT before and after injection.
• Effusion was graded subjectively on a scale of 0 to 4 for both modalities.

Main Results:

• Both US and CT showed significant increases in effusion scores post-injection at most cervical sites.
• CT demonstrated higher sensitivity than US at the C6-C7 level.
• Volume-dependent effusion changes were noted, particularly with CT at caudal cervical levels.
• Extravasation of contrast solution occurred in a significant number of joints.

Conclusions:

• Ultrasound accurately detects effusion in equine CAPJs, comparable to CT in most cervical regions.
• CT offers superior sensitivity for detecting effusion in caudal cervical areas and assessing volume-dependent changes.
• US is a practical, accessible tool for initial assessment of CAPJ effusion in horses.