Distal tibial joint orientation line
Distal tibial joint orientation line
- Acronym: DTJOL
Definition
The distal tibial joint orientation line is a landmark used to assess angular deformities of the tibia and provide guidance for corrections. It is determined from a radiograph or multiplanar reconstructed CT images of the tibia.
In the frontal plane
For radiographic evaluation, the dog is positioned in dorsal or sternal recumbency and a craniocaudal or caudocranial radiograph is taken: the view includes the entire tibia, stifle joint and tarsal joint. The tibia is perpendicular to the beam. The beam is centered at the mid-tibial diaphysis.
The distal tibial joint orientation line is the line joining the most proximal points of the subchondral bone of the medial groove and lateral groove of the cochlea of tibia.
In the sagittal plane
For radiographic evaluation, the dog is positioned in lateral recumbency and a mediolateral radiograph is taken: the view includes the tibia, the stifle joint and the tarsal joint: the beam is centered on the mid-tibial diaphysis with the stifle and tarsus joints both at 90° flexion.
The distal tibial joint orientation line is the line joining the distal aspect of the intermediate ridge of the cochlea of tibia cranially and the caudodistal aspect of the cochlea of tibia.
References
Dismukes DI, Tomlinson JL, Fox DB, Cook JL, Song KJ. Radiographic measurement of the proximal and distal mechanical joint angles in the canine tibia. Vet Surg. 2007 Oct;36(7):699-704. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.2007.00323.x.
Dismukes DI, Tomlinson JL, Fox DB, Cook JL, Witsberger TH. Radiographic measurement of canine tibial angles in the sagittal plane. Vet Surg. 2008 Apr;37(3):300-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.2008.00381.x.
Yasukawa S, Edamura K, Tanegashima K, Seki M, Teshima K, Asano K, Nakayama T, Hayashi K. Evaluation of bone deformities of the femur, tibia, and patella in Toy Poodles with medial patellar luxation using computed tomography. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol. 2016;29(1):29-38. doi: 10.3415/VCOT-15-05-0089. Epub 2015 Dec 7.
