title: Association between navicular bone fragmentation and shape in Belgian Warmblood horses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether in navicular bones (NB) from warmbloods, distal border fragmentation is associated with the shape of the proximal articular border or other radiological findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Radiographs of the front feet of 325 normal, subadult horses presented for admission as breeding stallions were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proximal articular border of the total of 650 NB was classified as straight (n = 278), convex (n = 184), undulating (n = 147) or concave (n = 41). Distal border fragments were present in 57 NB (8.8%). They were significantly more prevalent in NB with a concave (9/41; 22%) or undulating (19/147; 13%) proximal articular border compared to NB with a straight (17/278; 6%) or convex shape (12/184; 7%). No other significant associations were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypothetically, since a shape-fragment association was found and the distribution of biomechanical forces exerted on the navicular bone are assumed to be shape dependent, distal border fragments may be a result of unfavourable loading of the navicular region.
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopaedics, Merelbeke, Belgium. jimmy.saunders@ugent.be
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Claerhoudt
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pille
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vanderperren
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hauspie
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Duchateau
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van der Vekens
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Saunders
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D005552:Forelimb / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012716:Sesamoid Bones / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*