31 April 2015 The horse TheHorse.com
The first thing to keep in mind is that
each imaging modality doesn't exist in a
vacuum. Starting with a clinical examina
-
tion, your veterinary team uses one or
more diagnostic techniques to get a better
idea of what's going on inside your horse.
Combining close observation and various
examination techniques to reach a diag
-
nosis means he or she can pursue a more
precise and appropriate treatment plan.
Digital radiography (X rays)
Radiographs are the bread-and-butter
of diagnostic imaging. Today's portable
machines are easy to use and produce
high-resolution images that can be
reviewed instantly on a laptop. Because
radiographs are reasonably priced and it's
simple to send images electronically for
evaluation, veterinarians rely on them for
prepurchase and lameness exams.
"With digital radiography, it's very easy
to share images to get other people's opin
-
ions," says Myra Barrett, MS, DVM, Dipl.
ACVR, clinical instructor in Colorado
State University's radiology department
and partner at Inside Information Radiol
-
ogy, in Fort Collins. "It's a good first-line
tool for a lot of conditions, whether
you're worried about a joint, a fracture,
or even a soft-tissue injury. Sometimes
using radiographs first and not jumping
straight to ultrasound is good because we
Kevin
THompson/THe
Horse
nATAlie Defee-menDiK
A
dvances in medical technology aren't just for people—our
equine partners also benefit from an ever-increasing range of
sophisticated diagnostic options. Case in point: Horse own-
ers faced with pinpointing lamenesses and other problems
now have an arsenal of modern technologies at the ready. Think CT,
ultrasound, MRI, and more. So when is a simple radiograph suffi-
cient, and when should you consider bringing in the big guns?
Are CT, MRI, and X ray clear as mud?
Learn about appropriate uses for
these imaging modalities and more.
Diagnostic Imaging
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