Equine Radiography
Hand held generators
Standard working distance 22” (=> inverse square law = more penetration due to it being closer)
Large Animal
Imaging Equipment
Smaller, more mobile x-ray generators are common
Rolling stands beneficial (but can interfere w/your mobility)
Mobile practice is a great place for DR or true DR
Only the large practices will have fixed-mount tube heads
Restraint and your safety
Size & Nervousness : Awareness & Respect
Large prey animals, startle easily = can really hurt you
Work down leg with your hand first, before placing cassette against it
Restraint = chutes or stocks might be useful
Sedation, another option
Leg lifting for Pt immobilization keeping distance for personal & rad safety
Either use ropes or assistant to raise unaffected leg on ipsilateral side
Mobility vs. Radiation safety?
Handheld device
Much closer to primary beam (both, radiographer as well as assistant holding the cassette)
Cassette poles & stands
Pt prep
Pull the shoes???
Ask DVM, if he/she would like you to pull shoes first
Anatomy of the hoof
Pt prep for hoof imaging
Clean, Trim & Pack the foot
Pack hoof w/something that clears air/pack sulcus
Foot preparation:
- clean foot to avoid artifacts from debris
- pack sulci w/play doh, vaseline or similar material
- wrap w/Saran wrap, papertowels, diapers, …
Elevate Feet to Beam Level
A true lateral projection is necessary to show any rotation of P3 within the hoof
Cassette tunnel
Cassette goes inside
Horse can stand on it
Standard nomenclature for radiographic projections in equines
Navicular Block for Dorsopalmar Projection
Cassette Block for Dorsopalmar
DMPLO
DorsoMedialPlantar(or Palmar)oLateral Oblique
Oblique view makes one sesamoid visible, “buries” the other one in metatarsal(or carpal) bones
Multiple view or series
Take several views from different angles of same anatomy to get 3D view
Oblique projections
Carpal anatomy
DVM is interested in joint spaces for presence or absence of cartilage
Accessory carpal
Dorsopalmar of carpus
Flexed LM of carpus
Lateral Medial
Looking for bone chips, arthritis
Opens up joint to better view intercarpal spaces
Dorsoproximal Dorsodistal
(Skyline View)
Tarsus
Skyline View of Tarsus
Anatomical terms for cannon bone and splint bones
Cannon bone = Metacarpal/tarsal III
Splint bones = Metacarpal/tarsal II & IV
Dorsopalmar Metacarpalphalangeal
“Screwdriver joint”
(Pointy end in center)
Navicular & coffin bones
P1 = long pastern bone
P2 = short pastern bone
P3 = coffin bone
Navicular bone
Navicular Block 65 degree
Developed by R. Redden, DVM
Imaging Navicular Bone
Deep digital flexor tendon
Dental X-ray horse
C spine = subluxations congenital malformations
“Wobbler’s Syndrome”
C5, 6, 7 usual spot
