Abstract
In this equine study, we used an MDCT unit and a trestle for large animals to assess the utility of MDCT in the diagnosis locomotor system disorders and problems in the head and spine. We used a mature thoroughbred horse under general anesthesia and 5 specimens. For specimens, MDCT images were compared with other images taken by a computed radiography X-ray unit. In the live horse, use of the trestle for large animals enabled scanning under general anesthesia. In specimens, MDCT created 3D images of the fractured lesions and evaluation of multiple cross-sectional and sagittal images was possible. Further, multiple sagittal images and virtual endoscopic images revealed details of a spinal canal stenosis in the swayback case. These results indicate that MDCT is useful for diagnosing and viewing details of cases that conventional X-ray images do not capture.
