Recent advances in articular cartilage evaluation using computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Articular cartilage is a critical joint tissue and its evaluation remains a diagnostic challenge in horses. Coupled with a poor capacity for healing, early degenerative changes in articular cartilage are difficult to characterise using routine diagnostic imaging evaluations. Both computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provide volumetric joint assessment and highlight morphological and quantitative properties of articular cartilage, improving assessment of this essential tissue. While the use of CT and MRI for joint evaluation is not new, there still remains a shortage of literature and scientific studies on the ability of these methods to evaluate articular cartilage in the horse. This review article summarises current CT and MRI techniques capable of characterising equine articular cartilage, highlights recent advances in these techniques and discusses the numerous methods studied in human subjects that have been minimally investigated in horses. Imaging techniques are presented in terms of their capabilities of offering morphological and quantitative evaluation along with a discussion of their benefits and limitations. Finally, it summarises the current state-of-the-art approaches and identifies unmet clinical imaging needs to propel the advancement of articular cartilage and joint imaging in the horse.

Quantification of solute diffusivity in osteoarthritic human femoral cartilage using correlation spectroscopy

“…Direct assessment of cartilage ECM composition, permeability, and structure via biopsy is destructive, warranting the use of indirect characterization methods, especially in vivo. Clinically, T2‐mapping MRI and contrast‐enhanced CT can estimate cartilage proteoglycan content, though resolution limits applicability to larger changes present in late‐stage OA . In both the lab and clinic, in situ mechanical testing techniques like micro‐ and nano‐indentation can estimate local permeability or fixed charge density by fitting experimental data to bi‐ or tri‐phasic constitutive models, respectively .…”

An experimentally induced osteoarthritis model in horses performed on both metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints: Technical, clinical, imaging, biochemical, macroscopic and microscopic characterization

“…three-dimensional evaluation [32]. High-field MRI performed under general anesthesia has already been proven to be useful in the temporal assessment of OA-associated changes occurring in the osteochondral fragmentation model of the equine middle carpal joint [33].…”

Magnetic resonance imaging of equine stifles: Technique and observations in 76 clinical cases

“…Equine stifle injuries are common and mainly diagnosed using radiographs (Wilson ; Aldrich et al ), ultrasonography (Adrian et al ), scintigraphy (Graham et al ) and/or arthroscopy (Adrian et al ). Additionally, several reports describe computed tomographic (CT) scanning (Vekens et al ; Nelson et al , ). However, each of these techniques have certain limitations preventing complete imaging of osseous and soft‐tissue stifle structures.…”