Micro-Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Limb Development: Insights Into the Basis of Clubfoot

Suzanne Louise Duce¹

Clubfoot (CTEV) in humans is a malformation which affects about 4-in-1000 births; its aetiopathogenesis is unknown. We undertook a 3D μMRI study using 7.1T Bruker spectrometer, of a pma mouse model that has clubfoot-like hindfoot malformations. Wild-type and pma mouse musculoskeletal anatomy were compared. The pma hindfeet displays similar abnormalities (eg supination) to human CTEV. Embryonic hindfoot developmental studies showed initiation of pma hindfoot rotation is often delayed compared to wild-type, is slower and does not reach completion. If our results were extrapolated to humans, it supports the hypothesis that CTEV is due to incompletion foot rotation and angulation.