Histomorphometric analysis of the proximal portion of the femur in dogs with moderate osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the histomorphometric properties of epiphyseal and metaphyseal trabecular bone of the proximal portion of the femur of dogs with moderate osteoarthritis.

SAMPLE POPULATION

Proximal portions of a femour from 24 dogs.

PROCEDURE

The proximal portion of a femur was obtained from each dog. Eleven and thirteen specimens were sectioned in the transverse and coronal planes, respectively. Three evenly spaced sections from each specimen were chosen, surface stained, and digitized, and the stained areas were preferentially selected. Custom software was used for histomorphometric analysis of each section. A mixed-model analysis was used to evaluate the effect of slice location and region on 6 parameters, and a Fisher protected t test was used when differences were detected.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference between the femoral head and femoral neck for all parameters tested. In coronal sections, the femoral neck was significantly more anisotropic than the femoral head. In transverse sections, the craniolateral region of the femoral neck was significantly more anisotropic than the caudomedial and craniomedial regions.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

There is a predictable cancellous microarchitecture in the proximal portion of femurs from dogs with moderate osteoarthritis. Trabeculae are more numerous, thicker, and closer together but more randomly arranged in the femoral head than in the femoral neck. Dogs with moderate osteoarthritis had an increase in trabecular anisotropy in the craniolateral region of the femoral neck. However, there was no corresponding increase in trabecular alignment of the proximomedial region of the femoral head. Results support an association between trabecular alignment and the progression of osteoarthritis.