(2) Department of Veterinary Science, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
(3) Department of Animal Science, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
(4) Department of Veterinary Medicine, Surgery and Anatomy, University of León, Spain
(5) Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED) University of León, Spain
Ana Válega (2)
Bruno Colaço (3)
José Manuel Gonzalo-orden (4)
José António De Paz (5)
Mário Ginja (2)
Sclerosis in the subchondral bone of the ulnar trochlear notch is an early radiographic sign of elbow dysplasia. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the most widely used bone density measurement technology. The purpose of this study was to compare the bone mineral density of proximal ulnar metaphysis and the radiographic opacity in mediolateral views of bones. In this study were used 20 ulnas of 10 dog cadavers weighting over 20 kg that were radiographed and evaluated the bone mineral density (BMD) in two regions of interest (ROI 1- Subchondral bone of ulnar trochlear notch; ROI 2- Olecranon of ulna) using DXA technology.
Digital radiographic images were evaluated for ROI brightness level using the Adobe Photoshop software. To attenuate different general radiographic opacity in each view was prepared a set with adjusted bone radiographic opacity (AdBRO). The Pearson correlation between DXA BMD versus bone radiographic opacity (BRO) was 55.8 (P< 0.01) and DXA BMD versus AdBRO was 78.5 (P< 0.01). This work associate unequivocally the radiographic radiopacity to the amount of mineral in the bone and shows a methodology to adjust the density in the radiographic images in order to improve this correlation, as the correlation BMD to AdBRO is bigger. So, we think that is a promising methodology to evaluate sclerosis in subtrochlear ulnar bone using adequate computer programs as 61.6% of radiographic opacity changes are due to the content of bone mineral in these anatomic regions.
BIBLIOGRAFÍA
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3. Burton NJ, Comerford EJ, Bailey M, Pead MJ, Owen MR:Digital analysis of ulnar trochlear notch sclerosis in Labrador retrievers. J Small Anim Pract. 2007; 48:220-224.
