Animal lameness detection with radar sensing

Lameness is a significant problem for performance horses and farmed animals, with severe impact on animal welfare and treatment costs. Lameness is commonly diagnosed through subjective scoring methods performed by trained veterinary clinicians, but automatic methods using suitable sensors would improve efficiency and reliability. In this paper, we propose the use of radar micro-Doppler signatures for contactless and automatic identification of lameness, and present preliminary results for dairy cows, sheep, and horses. These proof-of-concept results are promising, with classification accuracy above 85% for dairy cows, around 92% for horses, and close to 99% for sheep

Clinical magnetic resonance image quality of the equine foot is significantly influenced by acquisition system

Background: Investigation of image quality in clinical equine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging may optimise diagnostic value. Objectives: To assess the influence of field strength and anaesthesia on image quality in MR imaging of the equine foot in a clinical context. Study design: Analytical clinical study. Methods: Fifteen equine foot studies (five studies per system) were randomly selected from the clinical databases of three MR imaging systems: low‐field standing (LF St), low‐field anaesthetised (LF GA) and high‐field anaesthetised (HF GA). Ten experienced observers graded image quality for entire studies and seven clinically important anatomical structures within the foot (briefly, grade 1: textbook quality, grade 2: high diagnostic quality, grade 3: satisfactory diagnostic quality, grade 4: non‐diagnostic). Statistical analysis assessed the effect of anaesthesia and field strength using a combination of the Pearson chi‐square test or Fisher’s exact test and Mann‐Whitney test. Results: There was no difference in the proportion of entire studies of diagnostic quality between LF St (90%, 95%CI 78‐97%) and LF GA (88%, 76‐95%, p = 0.7). No differences were evident in the proportion of diagnostic studies or median image quality gradings between LF St and LF GA when assessing individual anatomical structures (both groups all median grades=3). There was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of entire studies of diagnostic quality between LF GA and HF GA (100%, 95% CI lower bound 94%, p = 0.03). There were statistically significant differences in median image quality gradings between LF GA (all median grades=3) and HF GA (median grades=1 (5/7 structures) or 2 (2/7 structures) for all individual anatomical structures (all P<0.001). The reasons reported for reduced image quality differed between systems. Main limitations: Randomised selection of cases from clinical databases. Individual observer preferences may influence image quality assessment. Conclusions: Field strength is a more important influencer of image quality than anaesthesia for magnetic resonance imaging of the equine foot in clinical patients

Ultrasound-guided perineural injection of the tibial nerve in the horse versus a ‘blind’ technique

Background: Tibial perineural analgesia has often been reported to fail to achieve nerve desensitisation in horses. Ultrasound-guided (US-guided) techniques have recently been described to improve tibial perineural desensitisation. Objectives: To compare US-guided and ‘blind’ tibial perineural analgesia techniques in lameness investigation. Study design: Randomised clinical trial. Methods: Horses presenting for lameness investigation, which required tibial perineural analgesia, were randomly assigned either to a US-guided or blind injection group. The efficacy of perineural analgesia was assessed by testing the loss of skin sensation at the medial and lateral heel bulbs. Skin sensation was assessed, prior to injection and then at four intervals post-injection (10–15, 20–25, 30–35 and 40–45 min) using a hand-held digital algometer with a 1 mm diameter pin; a value of 25 N was defined as indicative of skin desensitisation. The time taken to perform each injection technique and any adverse reactions were recorded. Summary statistics were performed to examine differences between groups. The frequency of skin desensitisation was compared between groups using a Fisher's exact test and the length of time taken to perform injections was compared using a Mann–Whitney U test. Results: Sixteen US-guided and 11 blind injections were included in the study. All cases undergoing US-guided injection lost skin sensation, whereas this occurred in only one case receiving the blind injection. The US-guided group had a significantly higher probability of skin sensation loss (p < 0.001), although the injection technique took significantly longer to complete compared to the blind group (p < 0.001). No adverse reactions were noted with either perineural injection technique. Main limitations: Limited number of cases for each injection group. Conclusions: These findings suggest that US-guided tibial perineural injection is more likely to result in adequate and prompt tibial perineural analgesia compared to the blind injection technique, although it takes longer to complete

Nef divisors on moduli spaces of abelian varieties

SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RN 3109(284) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Interobserver agreement during clinical magnetic resonance imaging of the equine foot

Background: Agreement between experienced observers for assessment of pathology and assessment confidence are poorly documented for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the equine foot. Objectives: To report interobserver agreement for pathology assessment and observer confidence for key anatomical structures of the equine foot during MRI. Study design: Exploratory clinical study. Methods: Ten experienced observers (diploma or associate level) assessed 15 equine foot MRI studies acquired from clinical databases of 3 MRI systems. Observers graded pathology in seven key anatomical structures (Grade 1: no pathology, Grade 2: mild pathology, Grade 3: moderate pathology, Grade 4: severe pathology) and provided a grade for their confidence for each pathology assessment (Grade 1: high confidence, Grade 2: moderate confidence, Grade 3: limited confidence, Grade 4: no confidence). Interobserver agreement for the presence/absence of pathology and agreement for individual grades of pathology were assessed with Fleiss' kappa (k). Overall interobserver agreement for pathology was determined using Fleiss' kappa and Kendall's coefficient of concordance (KCC). The distribution of grading was also visualised with bubble charts. Results: Interobserver agreement for the presence/absence of pathology of individual anatomical structures was poor-to-fair, except for the navicular bone which had moderate agreement (k = 0.52). Relative agreement for pathology grading (accounting for the ranking of grades) ranged from KCC = 0.19 for the distal interphalangeal joint to KCC = 0.70 for the navicular bone. Agreement was generally greatest at the extremes of pathology. Observer confidence in pathology assessment was generally moderate to high. Main limitations: Distribution of pathology varied between anatomical structures due to random selection of clinical MRI studies. Observers had most experience with low-field MRI. Conclusions: Even with experienced observers, there can be notable variation in the perceived severity of foot pathology on MRI for individual cases, which could be important in a clinical context

Haematogenous synovial sepsis of the digital flexor tendon sheath following contralateral limb foot abscessation in a horse

A 5-year-old Shire mare was presented for investigation of severe right hindlimb lameness and was diagnosed with extensive right hind subsolar and submural foot abscessation. The mare developed severe contralateral limb lameness 11 days following right hind abscess debridement, with investigation revealing synovial sepsis of the left hind digital flexor tendon sheath. Synovial sepsis persisted despite aggressive surgical and medical treatment, resulting in euthanasia. Microbial culture of synovial fluid isolated Bacteroides sp., consistent with haematogenous synovial sepsis. This is the first report to describe haematogenous synovial sepsis as a cause of contralateral limb lameness during the management of foot abscessation in the horse