Use of magnetic resonance imaging for identifying subchondral bone damage in horses: 11 cases (1999–2003)

Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging was useful for providing a diagnosis when other imaging techniques did not definitively identify the cause of lameness. Subchondral bone damage was clearly identified by MR imaging and should be considered as a cause of lameness in horses in which radiographic findings are unremarkable.

Anatomical transverse magnetic resonance imaging study of ligaments in palmar surface of metacarpus in Miniature donkey: identification of a new ligament

“…Both low-field and high-field MRI give comparable data about abnormal structures, although lesions are more detailed with a high field MRI [21]. MRI is useful for evaluating bone and soft tissues in equine [2,32,33]. There is only limited information available on normal MR anatomy of the proximal metacarpal region in the horse [2,27], and the appearance of the proximal metacarpal region has not been described in the Miniature donkey.…”

Value of “Low-Field MRI for diagnosis of cartilage defects in the coffin joint of the horse

“…Left-Clear (symmetric) separation of the joint cartilage of the pastern and coffin bone through the hypointense synovia; Right-Asymmetric joint space and compression of the medial cartilage line. Zubrod et al (2004) zeigten, dass sich der MRT gut eignet um klinisch signifikante subchondrale Knochenreaktionen sichtbar zu machen, welche sich röntgenologisch nicht darstellen ließen. In Kadaveruntersuchung von Karpalgelenken bestätig-ten Anastasiou et al 2003 diese Ergebnisse indem sie ihre MRT Befunde histologisch verifizierten.…”

Understanding MRI reports: Finding the lesions on an MRI study to show your clients

“…They can be altered to the viewer's preference and, within a range, most tissues can be made to look brighter or darker. The enhanced visualization of fluid using a STIR or FLAIR sequence aids in detection of pathologic change in bone and soft tissue, making these sequences of value despite the disadvantages of increased acquisition time, decreased signal-to-noise ratio, and decreased resolution [2,5]. Fast spin echo (FSE) sequences can be proton density (PD), T1-weighted, or T2-weighted.…”