title: Monitoring of the repair process of surgically created lesions in equine superficial digital flexor tendons by use of computerized ultrasonography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate quantitative ultrasonography for objective monitoring of the healing process and prognostication of repair quality in equine superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendons.
  
  
  METHODS
  6 horses with standardized surgical lesions in SDF tendons of both forelimbs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healing was monitored for 20 weeks after surgery by use of computerized ultrasonography. Pixels were categorized as C (intact fasciculi), B (incomplete fasciculi), E (accumulations of cells and fibrils), or N (homogenous fluid or cells). Four scars with the best quality of repair (repair group) and 4 scars with the lowest quality (inferior repair group) were identified histologically. Ratios for C, B, E, and N in both groups were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During 4 weeks after surgery, lesions increased 2- to 4-fold in length and 10-fold in volume. Until week 3 or 4, structure-related C and B ratios decreased sharply, whereas E and N ratios increased. After week 4, C and B ratios increased with gradually decreasing E and N ratios. At week 12, C and B ratios were equivalent. After week 12, C ratio increased slowly, but B ratio more rapidly. At week 20, C ratio remained constant, B ratio was substantially increased, and E and N ratios decreased. Values for the inferior repair group were most aberrant from normal. Ratios for C differed significantly between repair and inferior repair groups at weeks 16 and 18 and for B beginning at 14 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Computerized ultrasonography provided an excellent tool for objective monitoring of healing tendons in horses and reliable prognostication of repair quality.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hans T M
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: van Schie
authors.forename: Erwin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Bakker
authors.forename: Worakij
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cherdchutham
authors.forename: A Mieke
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jonker
authors.forename: Chris H A
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: van de Lest
authors.forename: P René
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: van Weeren
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses / Q000293:injuries* / Q000502:physiology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000662:veterinary*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*