Vaden M F, Purohit R C, McCoy M D, Vaughan J T
Am J Vet Res. 1980 Aug;41(8):1175-9.
Thermographic and radiographic evaluations of the tarsus (hock) were done on 20 Standardbred racehorses before and after exercise at three consecutive 6-week intervals. All horses were from the same stable and given the same care and training under identical schedules and conditions. Normal thermographic patterns were established before and after exercise. These patterns corresponded to the underlying tarsal vasculature. Postexercise thermal patterns indicated a warming trend, and the increases were uniform. Abnormal thermal patterns were more localized and did not conform to the normal underlying vascular distribution. Five of the 20 horses trained successfully and competed professionally, with 1 of the 5 showing abnormal thermographic changes. Four horses were too slow to race, and all of these had abnormal thermographic changes of their tarsi. The medial aspect of the right tarsus was more commonly involved than the lateral in these horses. Only one horse was clinically lame and exhibited thermal increases, as well as radiographic changes in the right tarsus. The remaining horses were removed from training due to miscellaneous causes. It was believed that the four horses that failed to make minimum track times (for racing) suffered discomfort in their tarsi sufficient to impair performance. This problem was attributed to early subclinical inflammatory changes within the joints. Though difficult to recognize radiographically, these early changes were conspicuous as abnormal thermographic patterns typical of inflammation.
在连续三个为期6周的时间段内，对20匹标准赛马在运动前后进行跗关节（飞节）的热成像和放射学评估。所有马匹均来自同一马厩，在相同的时间表和条件下给予相同的护理和训练。在运动前后建立了正常的热成像模式。这些模式与跗关节下方的血管系统相对应。运动后的热模式显示出变暖趋势，且升温均匀。异常热模式更局限，不符合正常的潜在血管分布。20匹马中有5匹训练成功并参加专业比赛，其中5匹中有1匹显示出异常的热成像变化。4匹马跑得太慢无法参赛，所有这些马的跗关节都有异常的热成像变化。在这些马中，右跗关节的内侧比外侧更常受累。只有一匹马临床上跛行，右跗关节有热增加以及放射学变化。其余马匹因各种原因被取消训练。据信，4匹未能达到最低赛道时间（用于比赛）的马在跗关节处感到不适，足以影响表现。这个问题归因于关节内早期的亚临床炎症变化。尽管通过放射学很难识别这些早期变化，但作为典型炎症的异常热成像模式，这些早期变化很明显。
