OUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE

One of the most commonly used imaging techniques is X-rays. It has become an indispensable part of veterinary medicine. X-rays are primarily used to show the bony structures. However, specific questions in the area of soft tissue can also be answered using X-ray diagnostics with the help of coronary artery studies. The areas of application for radiological examinations in veterinary medicine are very diverse. Almost every orthopedic examination requires the X-ray imaging of certain limb sections. Overview images of the thorax and abdomen are of great diagnostic value, particularly in small animal medicine. In addition to the clinical examination, X-ray examinations have become indispensable in purchase examinations in equine medicine. We carry out purchase examinations using the four-eyes principle by two trained radiologists in accordance with the 2018 X-ray guidelines.

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Computed tomography is a cross-sectional imaging procedure similar to MRI. In contrast to MRI, computed tomography works with X-rays. The X-ray tube circles the patient while simultaneously emitting a thin beam of X-rays, thus producing a large number of individual images. These individual images are then combined into a 3D examination using very powerful computers. By injecting contrast medium into joints, CT examinations can show cartilage defects and ligament damage (e.g. cruciate ligaments in the knee joint) very well. CT examinations are significantly faster than MRI and, with high-quality equipment and special lifting platform technology, can be carried out from the hoof up to and including the pastern joint or ankle joint on a standing, sedated horse.

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CT SCAN WHILE STANDING AND UNDER GENERAL ANESTHESIA

Thanks to the latest technology, where the CT can be moved both in height and forwards and backwards using a lifting platform, many examinations on horses can now be carried out while standing under sedation.

Horses standing:

• head and neck to C5(6)

• Forelimbs: carpus to distal toe

• Hind limbs: tarsus to distal toe

• Horses under general anesthesia:

• head and neck up to T6

• Forelimbs: shoulder, elbow to distal toe

• Hind limb: hip (possibly limited by the size of the horse), knee to distal toe

Small animals:

• All applications

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is also a cross-sectional imaging procedure similar to CT. Unlike CT, this examination does not use X-rays. The method is based on the combined use of magnetic fields and radio waves and is practically free of side effects.

The MRI scan is a diagnostic procedure for visualizing the soft tissues and bones of the leg. An examination can be carried out on a standing, sedated horse from the hoof up to and including the carpus or tarsus. In comparison to a CT scan, the scan takes significantly longer and is therefore significantly more susceptible to motion artifacts.