The Osteometry of Equine Third Phalanx by the Use of Three-Dimensional Scanning: New Measurement Possibilities

This study consisted in analyzing the asymmetry between bilateral third phalanges (coffin bones) in cold-blood horses based onthe angle range of the plantar margin of the bone. The study employed a scanner projecting a hybrid set of images, consistingof sinusoidal stripes preceded by a Gray code sequence. As it turned out, three-dimensional scanning can be used to effectivelydetermine the angle range for a selected portion of the studied bone. This provides broad possibilities for osteometric studies, as itenables the determination of angle distribution in a given fragment. The results obtained indicate a weak correlation between ageand bilateral third-phalanx asymmetry in terms of the angle range of the plantar margins and no correlation between body weightand the asymmetry described.