Equine veterinarians can now objectively monitor tendon healing using a technique called ultrasonographic tissue characterization (UTC), said researchers from The Netherlands.

While a number of novel therapies for tendon healing have been introduced recently, means of evaluating their clinical utility is difficult. Developed by Gerco Bosch, DVM, PhD, an assistant professor at Utrecht University, and colleagues, the UTC technique stores ultrasound images at regular distances along the long axis of the tendon. These images are combined to create a three-dimensional (3D) image. Accurate information about the 3D arrangement of the tendon is provided.

The group evaluated UTC in six horses with an experimentally-created lesion of the superficial digital flexor tendon treated with either platelet-rich plasma or a placebo (saline).

They found that UTC detected significant differences during the healing process between the two groups of horses. By the end of the study, more than 80% of pixels (measured by UTC) showed correct alignment in the PRP group, compared with approximately 60% in the placebo group