Advances in Equine Diagnostic Imaging

Seeing the full picture of a horses body from the inside began not with a hoof but with a womans hand. The accidental discovery of the radiograph in 1895 by the German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen transformed the human medical landscape. Still another century passed before advancements in equine diagnostic imaging revolutionized veterinary medicine.
Accurate safe and comprehensive imaging including computed tomography CT magnetic resonance imaging MRI nuclear scintigraphy bone scan and the emerging positron emission tomography PET scan may redefine horse health today but it has only accelerated at a rapid rate during the past 25 years.

XRays and Ultrasound
Early radiographs Xrays while groundbreaking for both human and equine medicine rendered complications. The analog film required wet processing and often lacked sufficient image detail and quality. Delays between image development and delivery to medical professionals impeded swift diagnoses. However with the advent of portable digital machines equine practitioners can now capture highquality images of bone at a horses stall rather than in a veterinary clinic.
Later ultrasound technology came onto the scene employing highfrequency sound waves to produce highresolution twodimensional images of tendons and ligaments. With the ultrasound veterinarians can assess softtissue injuries colic pregnancy and suspicious masses such as abscesses and tumors. Advanced speed and the accuracy of highresolution twodimensional images improve physical exams.
CT and MRI
Equine diagnostic imaging rocketed to the next chapter with the introduction of CT and MRI in the 1990s according to Katherine Garrett DVM Dipl. ACVS director of diagnostic imaging at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington Ky.
The most significant change in equine diagnostic imaging is the widespread adoption of crosssectional imaging modalities she says. Their introduction allows us to make much more specific diagnoses than we could previously and understand different diseases more thoroughly.
The difference between the traditional Xray and a CT scanner lies in

the type of image. A CT scanner examines slices of bone and softtissue structures on multiple planes from multiple angles and is beneficial for diagnosing cases of lameness and sinus dental and neurological issues.
Traditional CT scans performed on a fully anesthetized and recumbent horse presented its share of risks. The standing CT scans lower legs and images the head and neck. Because the horse only requires mild sedation fewer complications and threats to the horse and the clinician occur
Sarah Puchalski DVM Dipl. ACVR head of Diagnostic Imaging at Palm Beach Equine Clinic in Wellington Fla. cautions horse owners to understand