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. 2023 Feb 26;13(5):849.
doi: 10.3390/ani13050849.

Comparison of Digital Radiography, Computed Tomography, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features in Canine Spontaneous Degenerative Stifle Joint Osteoarthritis

Cheng-Shu Chung  1   2   3 , Yi-Ju Tu  2 , Lee-Shuan Lin  1   2   3   4   5
Affiliations

Comparison of Digital Radiography, Computed Tomography, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features in Canine Spontaneous Degenerative Stifle Joint Osteoarthritis

Cheng-Shu Chung et al. Animals (Basel). .

Abstract

Canine stifle joint osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by damage and degeneration of the articular cartilage and subchondral bone, bony hypertrophy at the margins, and synovial joint membrane changes. Non-invasive imaging modalities, such as digital radiography (DR), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can be used to describe these changes. However, the value of MRI in diagnosing spontaneous canine OA and the comparison of different imaging modalities have seldom been addressed. This study compared multiple noninvasive imaging modalities in canine spontaneous stifle OA cases. Four client-owned dogs with five spontaneously affected OA stifle joints were recruited and underwent DR, CT, and MRI. Information on osteophytes/enthesophytes, ligament/tendon lesions, synovial effusion and membrane thickening, subchondral bone lesions, and meniscal and cartilage lesions were scored and compared. The results showed that MRI provides the most comprehensive and superior lesion detection sensitivity for ligament, meniscus, cartilage, and synovial effusions. DR provides adequate bony structure information, while CT provides the most delicate images of bony structure lesions. These imaging findings may provide further understanding of the disease and help clinicians draft a more precise treatment plan.

Keywords: canine; computed tomography; digital radiography; magnetic resonance imaging; osteoarthritis; stifle joint.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of stifle joint anatomic compartment subregions for evaluation of osteophytes/enthesophytes of each subregion, dorsal plane (MRI and CT) or caudocranial view (DR) (A), and sagittal plane (MRI and CT) or lateral view (DR) of stifle joint (B). Red dash lines are schematically represented as imaginary anatomic midline (AM) of the stifle joint for each subregion. Stifle joints are divided into 12 subregions for evaluating osteophytes/enthesophytes. Abbreviations: DP: distal patella; FT: femoral trochlear ridges; LC: lateral femoral condyle; LE: lateral femoral epicondyle; LF: lateral fabella; LT: lateral proximal tibia plateau to edge; MC: medial femoral condyle; ME: medial femoral epicondyle; MF: medial fabella; MT: medial proximal tibia plateau to edge; PP: proximal patella; TT: tibial tuberosity.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic representation of stifle joint anatomic compartments for evaluating synovial effusion in the dorsal plane (CT or MRI)/caudocranial view (DR) (A), and sagittal plane (CT or MRI)/mediolateral view (DR) of stifle joint (B). Stifle joint is divided into 6 subregions to evaluate synovial effusion. Abbreviations: FTG, femoral trochlear groove; IP, infrapatellar region; LF, lateral fabella; LFTr, lateral femoral trochlear ridges to epicondyle region; MF, medial fabella; MFTr, medial femoral trochlear ridges to epicondyle region.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Schematic representation of stifle joint anatomic compartments for evaluating subchondral lesion in the dorsal plane (CT or MRI)/caudocranial view (DR) (A), and sagittal plane (CT or MRI)/mediolateral view (DR) of stifle joint (B). Stifle joint is divided into 6 subregions to evaluate subchondral lesions. Abbreviations: FT, femoral trochlear; ICF, femoral intercondylar fossa; LC, femoral lateral condyle; MC, femoral medial condyle; TP, tibia plateau.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Schematic representation of stifle joint anatomic compartment subregions to evaluate cartilage lesion on MRI images: dorsal plane of the distal femur (A) and proximal tibia (B). Stifle joint is divided into 13 anatomic subregions to evaluate cartilage lesions: lateral part (A, C1) and medial condyle medial (A, C2); lateral condyle medial (A, C3) and lateral part (A, C4); tibia plateau medial region cranial (B, C5), middle (B, C6), and caudal part (B, C7); tibia plateau middle region cranial (B, C8), middle (B, C9), and caudal part (B, C10); tibia plateau lateral region cranial (B, C11), middle (B, C12), and caudal part (B, C13).
Figure 5
Figure 5
The severity of osteophytes/enthesophytes of stifle joint using different imaging modalities. Representative DR (A–D), CT (E–H), and MRI (H–K) images, with score = 0 (A,E,H), score = 1 (B,F,I), score = 2 (C,G,J), and score = 3 (D,H,K). White arrows indicated osteophytes/enthesophytes formation at lateral proximal tibia edges. The score = 0 images were acquired from a dachshund which was not included in this study.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Comparison of osteophytes/enthesophytes at fabella using different imaging modalities in the same leg. Caudocranial view of DR (A), bone window of CT (transverse plane) (B), and T2W MRI (transverse plane) (C) images. Enthesophytes/osteophytes at lateral fabella (arrows) are superimposed with the distal femur on DR image (A), but can be easily identified on CT image (B), while exhibiting similar hypointense signal with the attached femoropatellar ligament on MRI image (C). Mediolateral view of DR (D), and sagittal plane of CT (E) and MRI (F) images in the same leg. A hyperintense projection of the distal patella (arrow), which can be seen on MRI (F) with a score = 2, is graded score = 1 and score = 0 on DR (D) and CT (E) images, respectively.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Representative MRI images of ligament/tendon lesions at each site. (A): Mixed intensities are seen in both CCL and CdCL (sagittal plane, PDW fs). (B): Both MCL and LCL are mildly thickened and have hyperintensities within the ligament (dorsal plane, PDW fs). (C): Focal hyperintensity is noted within the LDET with fluid accumulation surrounding the tendon (transverse plane, T2W fs). (D): Mixed intensity is noted adjacent to the distal patella at PL (sagittal plane, PDW fs). Abbreviations: CCL, cranial cruciate ligament; CdCL, caudal cruciate ligament; LCL, lateral collateral ligament; LDET, long digital extensor tendon; MCL, medial collateral ligament; PL, patellar ligament.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Comparison of medial fabella synovial effusion on DR (A), CT (B), and MRI (C), and infrapatellar synovial membrane thickening on DR (D), CT (E), and MRI (F) in the same leg. Obvious synovial effusion (arrowhead) is seen at the medial fabella region on MRI image (C) but cannot be observed on DR (A) or CT (B) images. Synovial membrane thickening is seen as low intense signal inside the synovial cavity (arrow) on MRI (F) but cannot be observed on DR (D) or CT (E) images.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Comparison of subchondral bone defects, cysts, and bone-marrow-edema-like lesions of caudocranial view in caudocranial view on DR (A), bone window on CT (dorsal plane) (B), and PDW fs (dorsal plane) on MRI (C) in the same leg. Subchondral bone defects and cysts are mostly seen in two areas on DR (A, arrow), in three areas on CT (B, arrow), and in two areas on MRI (A, arrow). Subchondral bone marrow edema-like lesions surrounding the intertrochlear fossa are only identified on MRI (C, arrowheads). Subchondral bone defect-like lesion is suspected at the femoral trochlear region on DR image (D, asterisk), but not identified on CT (E) nor MRI (F).
Figure 10
Figure 10
Meniscal maceration lesion noted on the dorsal plane, PDW fs MRI image. Chronic degenerative meniscal changes resulting the separation of the meniscus into constituent fragments (arrow). Synovial effusion accumulation is noted between the femoral condyle and tibial plateau, where the meniscus normally exists.
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