First Documented Pathologies in Tenontosaurus tilletti with Comments on Infection in Non-Avian Dinosaurs

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 8705 - 8
• Main Authors: Hunt, T. C., Peterson, J. E., Frederickson, J. A., Cohen, J. E., Berry, J. L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 18.06.2019; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 59; 631/181/414; 692/420/254; Animals; Antlers; Callus; Compressive Strength; Computed tomography; Dinosaurs - anatomy & histology; Fossils - pathology; Fracture Healing; Fractures; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Infections; Metacarpal; Metacarpal Bones - anatomy & histology; Metacarpal Bones - diagnostic imaging; multidisciplinary; Oklahoma; Osteochondroma - diagnosis; Osteochondroma - diagnostic imaging; Osteomyelitis; Osteomyelitis - diagnostic imaging; Paleopathology - methods; Rib; Rib Fractures - diagnosis; Rib Fractures - diagnostic imaging; Ribs - anatomy & histology; Ribs - diagnostic imaging; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Trauma; Oklahoma
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45101-6

In 2001, a nearly complete sub-adult Tenontosaurus tilletti was collected from the Antlers Formation (Aptian-Albian) of southeastern Oklahoma. Beyond its exceptional preservation, computed tomography (CT) and physical examination revealed this specimen has five pathological elements with four of the pathologies a result of trauma. Left pedal phalanx I-1 and left dorsal rib 10 are both fractured with extensive callus formation in the later stages of healing. Left dorsal rib 7 (L7) and right dorsal rib 10 (R10) exhibit impacted fractures compressed 26 mm and 24 mm, respectively. The fracture morphologies in L7 and R10 indicate this animal suffered a strong compressive force coincident with the long axis of the ribs. All three rib pathologies and the pathological left phalanx I-1 are consistent with injuries sustained in a fall. However, it is clear from the healing exhibited by these fractures that this individual survived the fall. In addition to traumatic fractures, left dorsal rib 10 and possibly left phalanx I-1 have a morphology consistent with post-traumatic infection in the form of osteomyelitis. The CT scans of left metacarpal IV revealed the presence of an abscess within the medullary cavity consistent with a subacute form of hematogenous osteomyelitis termed a Brodie abscess. This is only the second reported Brodie abscess in non-avian dinosaurs and the first documented occurrence in herbivorous dinosaurs. The presence of a Brodie abscess, known only in mammalian pathological literature, suggest mammalian descriptors for bone infection may be applicable to non-avian dinosaurs.