A post-mortem study of normal femoral condylar ossification and associated irregularities in femoral condyle contours in prenatal and neonatal foals

In this study, the irregular contours of the femoral condyle surface are examined by radiographic imaging and their link to the subchondral ossification process in fetal, prenatal and neonatal foals is investigated. The goal was to determine if these irregularities are normal develop-mental variations or signs of pathology. A post-mortem study was performed on 27 stifles from 14 normal foals and fetuses. Radiographic imaging, CT and CT arthrography were followed by a histopathological examination of the articular-epiphyseal cartilage complex (AECC). Histories of the foals were recorded, with causes of death unrelated to the study. Femoral condyles with lytic or cystic changes were excluded. The femoral condyles were evaluated and graded on a scale from 1 to 4. All foals showed irregular outlines of the medial femoral condyle, which correlated with normal ossification and vascular development and decreased as endochondral ossification progressed, indicating they are part of a normal physiological process.