Preliminary study of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to assess bone marrow adiposity in the third metacarpus or metatarsus in Thoroughbred racehorses

Equine Vet J. 2024 May 3. doi: 10.1111/evj.14086. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Background: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has been used to investigate metabolic changes within human bone. It may be possible to use MRS to investigate bone metabolism and fracture risk in the distal third metacarpal/tarsal bone (MC/MTIII) in racehorses.

Objectives: To determine the feasibility of using MRS as a quantitative imaging technique in equine bone by using the 1H spectra for the MC/MTIII to calculate fat content (FC).

Study design: Observational cross-sectional study.

Methods: Limbs from Thoroughbred racehorses were collected from horses that died or were subjected to euthanasia on racecourses. Each limb underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3 T followed by single-voxel MRS at three regions of interest (ROI) within MC/MTIII (lateral condyle, medial condyle, proximal bone marrow [PBM]). Percentage FC was calculated at each ROI. Each limb underwent computed tomography (CT) and bone mineral density (BMD) was calculated for the same ROIs. All MR and CT images were graded for sclerosis. Histology slides were graded for sclerosis and proximal marrow space was calculated. Pearson or Spearman correlations were used to assess the relationship between BMD, FC and marrow space. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to check for differences between sclerosis groups for BMD or FC.

Results: Eighteen limbs from 10 horses were included. A negative correlation was identified for mean BMD and FC for the lateral condyle (correlation coefficient = -0.60, p = 0.01) and PBM (correlation coefficient = -0.5, p = 0.04). There was a significant difference between median BMD for different sclerosis grades in the condyles on both MRI and CT. A significant difference in FC was identified between sclerosis groups in the lateral condyle on MRI and CT.

Main limitations: Small sample size.

Conclusions: 1H Proton MRS is feasible in the equine MC/MTIII. Further work is required to evaluate the use of this technique to predict fracture risk in racehorses.

Keywords: bone marrow adiposity; bone mineral density; computed tomography; horse; magnetic resonance imaging.