Palm Beach Equine Clinic has the most advanced state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging equipment available. More specifically, the Equine Standing MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is a piece of technology that allows Palm Beach Equine Clinic veterinarians to quickly and accurately diagnose injuries for their clients.
Every horse owner dreads seeing signs of lameness or discomfort in any horse, whether it is a backyard companion or a top-caliber sport horse. For performance horses, however, one of the first questions many owners ask upon contacting a veterinarian about a problem is, “Can the horse safely and comfortably return to work?” Using Palm Beach Equine Clinic’s cutting-edge technology, the clinic veterinarians are best equipped to answer that question.
A patient in Palm Beach Equine Clinic's MRI. Photo courtesy of Palm Beach Equine Clinic
The standing MRI produces highly detailed images in several different planes to capture a complete image of a desired area. An MRI is best used to further define a specific area of bony or soft tissue that has been pinpointed as the origin of lameness. The process can be completed while the horse is in a standing position and requires only light sedation.
Lameness or performance problems are most frequently approached through routine x-rays and ultrasounds, which can come back normal. Thus, it is difficult to diagnose subtle problems because the most common tools are not sensitive enough to pick them up. At Palm Beach Equine Clinic, the Equine Standing MRI gives veterinarians an advantage when troubleshooting a lameness issue and helps them to determine a correct diagnosis in a timely manner.
Hundreds of MRIs are read each year at PBEC. In addition to being a state-of-the art diagnostic tool, the technology also affords economic benefits to owners by having their horse’s problem diagnosed and treated safely, effectively, and quickly.