Accuracy of computed tomographic arthrography for assessment of articular cartilage defects in the ovine stifle

Abstract

Articular cartilage defects are one of the features of osteoarthritis in animals and humans. Early detection of cartilage defects is a challenge in clinical veterinary practice and also in translational research studies. An accurate, diagnostic imaging method would be desirable for detecting and following up lesions in specific anatomical regions of the articular surface. The current prospective experimental study aimed to describe the accuracy of computed tomographic arthrography (CTA) for detecting cartilage defects in a common animal model used for osteoarthritis research, the ovine stifle (knee, femoropatellar/femorotibial) joint. Joints in cadaver limbs (n = 42) and in living animals under anesthesia (n = 13) were injected with a contrast medium and imaged using a standardized CT protocol. Gross anatomy and histological assessment of specific anatomic regions were used as a gold standard for the evaluation of sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value for CTA identification of articular cartilage defects in those regions. Pooled estimated sensitivity and specificity were 90.32% and 97.30%, respectively, in cadaver limbs, and 81.82% and 95.24%, respectively, in living animals. Pooled estimated positive predictive value and negative predictive values were 98.25% and 85.71%, respectively, in cadaver limbs, and 81.82% and 95.24%, respectively, in living animals. The delineation of cartilage surface was good for anatomical regions most frequently affected by cartilage defects in the ovine stifle: medial femoral condyle, medial tibial condyle, and patella. This study supported the use of CTA as an imaging technique for detecting and monitoring articular cartilage defects in the ovine stifle joint.

Age‐related morphometric changes of the tidemark in the ovine stifle

“…Constraints are higher in the medial compartment due to the asymmetry of load bearing and contact area in the stifle (Baliunas Hurwitz et al, ; Lee‐Shee, Dickey, & Hurtig, ; Taylor et al, ; Thomas, Resnick, Alazraki, Daniel, & Greenfield, ). This is associated with a higher deterioration of cartilage and higher OARSI scores in those anatomical regions, as demonstrated by studies in sheep (Hontoir et al, ; Vandeweerd et al, ) and man (Arøen et al, ; Flanigan, Harris, Trinh, Siston, & Brophy, ; Neogi et al, ). In the current study, OARSI scores were also higher in the medial tibial and femoral condyles than in the lateral tibial and femoral condyles, with the axial side being more affected.…”

Computed tomographic arthrography is a useful adjunct to survey computed tomography and arthroscopic evaluation of the canine shoulder joint

“…The failure of computed tomography arthrography to detect fibrillation, a superficial splitting of the articular cartilage, likely reflects the limitations of the spatial resolution of this modality. A recent study of computed tomography arthrography of the ovine stifle, which used gross anatomy and histological assessment as the reference standard, reported a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 97% . The only modest agreement between computed tomography arthrography and arthroscopy in the current study is difficult to explain, but could be in part due to artifacts, such as partial volume, as well as the slight deviation from the optimal protocol for the assessment of scapulohumeral joint structures, as established by a previous publication .…”

Stem Cells for Cartilage Repair: Preclinical Studies and Insights in Translational Animal Models and Outcome Measures

“…For longitudinal in vivo studies, it is advised to assess the animal at baseline and at different time points. Depending on the animal, healthy joint status at the start of the study should be evaluated via diagnostic imaging modalities since variability in cartilage thickness, bone structure, and the prevalence of naturally occurring cartilage defects and other lesions associated with osteoarthritis can occur among species [ 167 , 183 – 185 ]. More specifically, spontaneously occurring cartilage lesions have been described in canine, equine, and aging ovine models [ 9 , 166 , 167 ].…”