Diagnostic Imaging Services
Your horse’s veterinarian is the best person to coordinate the referral of your horse for an MRI, as a thorough history will be needed prior to admission. It is important to make sure that the surgeon in charge has complete details of the history of your horse’s condition (degree/duration of lameness, response to nerve/joint blocks, previous radiographic/ultrasonographic exam findings, and previous treatment/response) prior to the MRI. Horses may be dropped off the night before or early the day of the MRI, and must be held off feed for 8 hours prior to the procedure. After the MRI, they are monitored overnight and allowed to go home the next day. The exam typically requires 90 minutes to complete. Once completed, preliminary results from a boarded radiologist are typically available that afternoon with a final report within 24-48 hours. We work closely with your veterinarian to provide optimal care and communication throughout the process.
Digital Radiology
- High sensitivity for detecting early disease
- Ease of surveying the entire skeleton
- A negative scan virtually rules out active bone pathology and many forms of joint disease (except osteochondrosis)
- Ability to follow-up lesions for resolution
Disadvantages of Scintigraphy:
- Patient will be radioactive and must be isolated from the general public for 24-36 hours
- Diagnosis of occult or intermittent lameness
- Bone survey for multiple limb lameness
- Early detection of skeletal injury - occult fracture
- Determining extent and severity of skeletal lesion - activity of radiographic lesions
- Localization of pain but inability to identify cause using radiology and ultrasonography
- Poor performance of ill-defined cause
- Suspected thoracolumbar or pelvic region pain
- Evaluation of healing response
- Evaluation of blood flow to bone
- Diagnosis of aortoiliac thrombosis