Radiometric and geometric morphometric analysis of the carpal joint area in 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses

Abstract

This study aimed to examine radiographs of Thoroughbred horse and compare radiometric and geometrical features between male and female individuals. To this end, dorso-palmar images of the carpal joint of 34 (17 female, 17 male) clinically healthy two-year-old Thoroughbred horses were analyzed. In total, 15 lengths and two angles were analyzed radiometrically, while geometric morphometrics was applied on 20 landmarks. In 7 radiometric measurements, the difference between female and male individuals was found to be statistically significant. All length measurements of males were found to be higher than of females. The statistically most important difference between the sexes was the measurement of the greatest breadth of proximal end of basis metacarpalia II-III-IV (p <0.001). There was no difference between the sexes for angle values. It was seen that the geometric morphometric analysis made with the Landmarks used in the study was not determinative between males and females. Thanks to the developing technology, the number of three-dimensional modeling technique and radiometric measurement studies is also increasing. In this study, the differences between the sexes were revealed using radiographs of horses of the same age, and obtained values will be the references for future radiometric and clinical studies.