Equine laminitis study points to more stable radiographic cutoffs

Equine laminitis study points to more stable radiographic cutoffs

A new study in Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound reports that NURBS-based smoothing of receiver operating characteristic, or ROC, curves may improve how radiographic thresholds are set for diagnosing acute and subacute equine laminitis. Author Mahmut Sami Erdoğan applied the method to radiographic measurements from laminitic and healthy horses and found the smoothed thresholds matched or outperformed conventional empirical ROC approaches, with lower misclassification rates and more stable cutoff selection, particularly in small or noisy datasets. The paper appears in the journal’s 2026 volume 67, issue 3, as article e70158. (madbarn.com)

Why it matters: For equine veterinarians, laminitis remains a medical emergency in which imaging helps assess displacement of the coffin bone relative to the hoof capsule and guides treatment and farriery decisions. Standard lateromedial and dorsopalmar or dorsoplantar radiographs are used to evaluate rotation, sole depth, and the distance between the coronary band and extensor process, but threshold-setting can be inconsistent when datasets are limited. A method that produces more reproducible cutoffs could strengthen diagnostic confidence, especially in borderline cases and in research settings where measurement variability can affect conclusions. (merckvetmanual.com)

What to watch: The next question is whether these smoothed ROC-derived thresholds will be validated prospectively in clinical populations and incorporated into broader laminitis imaging guidance. (madbarn.com)