Transmural Ultrasonography in the Evaluation of Horse Hoof Internal Structures: Comparative Quantitative Findings-Part 2.
Authors: Castro-Mesa Andrés Felipe, Resende Faleiros Rafael, Martínez-Aranzales José Ramón
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Transmural Ultrasonography for Equine Hoof Evaluation Transmural ultrasound represents a valuable addition to the diagnostic toolkit for assessing hoof internal architecture, yet establishing standardised measurements and normal reference values has remained elusive. Castro-Mesa and colleagues sought to quantify key dermal and epidermal structures in the equine hoof using transmural ultrasound, comparing findings against digital radiography and direct anatomical examination in 62 healthy hooves (30 cadaver specimens with sagittal sections and 32 live horses). Their measurements encompassed critical zones including the coronary band-to-extensor process distance, distal phalanx apex-to-hoof wall spacing, sole and parietal dermis thickness, lamellar layer dimensions, and sublamellar dermis depth, establishing baseline proportions and inter-structure ratios. Whilst most measurements showed good consistency across the three methods, some parameters demonstrated variation between techniques and a small number proved difficult to visualise ultrasonographically; importantly, the transmural approach enabled visualisation of novel measurement points that better characterise the spatial relationship between the distal phalanx and surrounding hoof capsule. For practitioners, these standardised measurements provide an objective foundation for identifying pathological deviation—particularly valuable in laminitis cases where early recognition of structural compromise is critical to intervention success, and the technique's ability to visualise normal anatomy non-invasively offers a practical advantage over radiography for serial monitoring and client education.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Transmural ultrasound is a reliable, non-invasive field technique for measuring hoof internal structures and can establish baseline normal values for comparison with pathological cases
- •This imaging approach provides quantifiable spatial landmarks between the distal phalanx and hoof wall, potentially useful for early detection of biomechanical changes
- •Having standardized normal measurements will help farriers and vets recognize subtle structural deviations during routine examinations and monitor hoof capsule-bone relationships over time
Key Findings
- •Transmural ultrasound measurements of hoof dermis and epidermis were consistent with digital radiography and anatomical sections across 62 healthy hooves
- •New measurement parameters were established for defining spatial relationships between the distal phalanx and hoof wall using transmural technique
- •Most measurements replicated successfully across three diagnostic methods, with only a minority impossible to determine by ultrasound
- •Transmural ultrasound provides visualization of normal hoof structure baseline data useful for identifying pathological variations in laminitis