The UF Veterinary Hospital at WEC: Equine Care
Diagnostic Imaging
Our sports medicine specialists work with on-site board-certified veterinary radiologists specializing in equine imaging.
We will work both with you and your veterinarian to tailor a program that helps to get your horse back into the ring faster, stronger, and minimize the risk of injury. We have a wide range of modalities and tools that can be used either in hospital or at your horse’s stall.
Equine Care
Standing Computed Tomography (CT Scan)
The Qalibra standing CT system allows us to scan horses from head to hind limbs without anesthesia. Our state-of-the-art scanner can quickly capture 160-slice images.
Standing CT is useful for diagnosing lameness in the:
· Foot, fetlock, carpus, tarsus, and proximal suspensory (front and hind limbs)
· Head, including sinusitis, dental disease, and head-shakers
· Cranial neck
Under general anesthesia, we can also scan the pelvis, stifle, shoulder, elbow, and caudal neck.
Equine Care
Standing PET Scan
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) uses an injectable radioactive material to highlight areas of pathology in horses’ feet, fetlocks, and hocks. It’s highly sensitive for detecting rapid bone turnover and provides 3D images that can be combined with MRI, CT, or X-ray images. PET scans have a shorter half-life than traditional bone scans, reducing hospital time.
A standing PET scan can be used:
· As a screening tool when nerve or joint blocks are inconclusive or not possible
· For horses that are not suitable for nerve or joint blocks
· To investigate multiple suspected areas of lameness
Equine care
Standing MRI
Our standing low-field MRI lets us scan horses’ legs from knee to hock while standing sedated, providing excellent images of soft tissues and bones/joints.
A standing MRI can be used to:
· Investigate lameness conditions in the lower limbs, particularly foot issues
· Complement X-rays and ultrasound for a more complete understanding of the problem
· Provide additional information when fused with PET scan images
Equine Care
High Powered X-ray
Our high powered x-ray generator and Canon wireless DR plates allow us to get high quality images of regions that portable machines struggle to adequately penetrate including the thorax (chest), abdomen, and denser areas of the spinal column.
