Determination of knee cartilage volume and surface area in beagle dogs: a pilot study

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the cartilage volume and surface area of male and female Beagle dog knees using 3D (3 dimensional) reconstructed MRI images. METHODS: Six Beagle Dogs (Canis familiaris) (3 males and 3 females) of 10-18 months old and weighing between 7.2 and 17.1 kg underwent a MRI evaluation of both knees. The data acquired allowed a 3D reconstruction of the knee and measurement of the cartilage volume and surface area. RESULTS: Mean knee cartilage volume (averaged over the right and left knees) of animals between 7.2 and 17.1 kg ranged from 319.7 to 647.3 mm(3); while the mean knee cartilage surface area ranged from 427.14 to 757.2 mm(2). There was evidence of both knee volume and surface area increasing linearly with animal bodyweight. CONCLUSIONS: The cartilage volume and surface area of the Beagle dog appears to correlate significantly with body weight. This study provides a reference base for future studies investigating cartilage related pathology such as osteoarthritis.