Equine Radiography Flashcards
Film focal distance
70 - 100 cm
Foot - lateromedial
- Foot placed on block
- Cassette on medial aspect of foot + supported on floor (/in groove in block)
- Centre x-ray beam - halfway between heels + dorsal hoof wall, parallel w/ heel bulbs, 1 cm below coronary band (directly on distal interphalangeal joint)
- Foot - lateromedial
- Centre - halfway between heels + dorsal hoof wall, parallel w/ heel bulbs, 1 cm below coronary band (directly on distal interphalangeal joint)
- Looking for evidence of P3 rotation or sinking due to laminitis; signs of DIP joint OA; foot balance (can assess toe length, solar depth, palmar angel of P3, heel angle, hoof pastern axis, etc.)
Foot - lateromedial
Foot - dorsopalmar/plantar
- Foot on block
- Cassette directly vertical behind heels
- Centre - dorsal hoof wall midway between sole + coronary band
- Foot - dorsopalmar/plantar
- Centre - dorsal hoof wall midway between sole + coronary band
- Useful in cases of laminitis; looking at foot balance (medio-lateral balance); evidence of sidebone (ossification of the collateral cartilages)
Foot - dorsopalmar/plantar
Foot - dorsoproximal - palmarodistal oblique, pedal bone - ‘upright pedal view’
- Foot positioned w/ toe pointing downwards
- Sole perpendicular to the ground
- Dorsal hoof wall 45° to horizontal
- Horizontal beam centred on midline distal to coronary band
- Low exposure settings enables assessment of pedal bone
- Foot - dorsoproximal - palmarodistal oblique, pedal bone - ‘upright pedal view’
- Horizontal beam centred on midline distal to coronary band
- Packing defect in this image at the level of P2 - this is an artefact caused by inadequate preparation of the foot (ie the central frog sulcus can be seen superimposed over the bone). The frog clefts ands central sulcus should be pared and packed with playdoh prior to acquiring this view
- Foot abscesses, pedal osteitis, P3 fracture, keratoma
Foot - dorsoproximal - palmarodistal oblique, pedal bone - ‘upright pedal view’
Foot - dorsoproximal - palmarodistal oblique, navicular bone, ‘navicular cone-down’
- Foot positioned on Podoblock w/ toe pointing downwards
- Dorsal hoof wall is perpendicular to ground
- Horizontal beam centred on midline + approx 2 cm proximal to coronary band
- Primary beam collimated to navicular bone; margins just inside the medial and lateral aspect of the foot + extend 3 cm proximally + distally
- Higher exposures + tighter collimation -> evaluation of navicular bone - proximal + distal borders
- Foot - dorsoproximal - palmarodistal oblique, navicular bone, ‘navicular cone-down’
- Horizontal beam centred on midline, 2 cm proximal to coronary band
- For pathology associated with the navicular bone (‘Navicular syndrome’)
Foot - dorsoproximal - palmarodistal oblique, navicular bone, ‘navicular cone-down’
Foot - palmaroproximal, palmarodistal oblique ‘skyline navicular’
- Cassette placed within ‘tunnel’ foot block
- Foot placed on top of block, with the limb extended caudally
- Generator positioned behind the foot and angled down at approximately 45°
- Beam centred between the heel bulbs
- Collimate as close to the navicular bone as possible
- Allows evaluation of the flexor surface, palmar cortex, and medulla of the navicular bone
- May be indicated (e.g. in the case of suspected pedal wing fracture) to carry out dorso45°lateral-palmaromedial oblique (D45°L-PaMO) and dorso45°medial-palmarolateral oblique (D45°M-PaLO) views, to allow assessment of the palmar processes of the pedal bone = ‘pedal wing views’
- Foot - palmaroproximal, palamarodistal oblique ‘skyline navicular’
- Centred between heel bulbs
- To assess the flexor surface, palmar cortex and medulla of the navicular bone
Fetlock (metacarpophalangeal/metatarsal phalangeal joint) - lateromedial
- Centre beam on lateral epicondyle of distal metacarpus, horizontal + parallel to heel bulbs
- Place cassette on medial aspect of limb
- Fetlock (metacarpophalangeal/metatarsal phalangeal joint) - lateromedial
- Centre on lateral epicondyle of distal metacarpus, horizontal + parallel to heel bulbs
Fetlock - metacarpophalangeal/metatarsal phalangeal joint, lateromedial
Fetlock (metacarpophalangeal/metatarsal phalangeal joint) - dorsopalmar/plantar - ‘high DP’
- Horizontal beam centred on fetlock joint
- Cassette behind limb
- Positioning same as normal DP, but beam is oblique 10° in dorsoproximal-palmarodistal direction
- Allows clearer visualisation of joint space - avoids superimposition of sesamoid bones
Fetlock (metacarpophalangeal/metatarsal phalangeal joint) - dorsopalmar/plantar - ‘high DP’
Fetlock (metacarpophalangeal/metatarsal phalangeal joint) - dorsopalmar/plantar - ‘high DP’
Fetlock (metacarpophalangeal/metatarsal phalangeal joint) - dorsolateral 45° palmaromedial oblique (DLPMO)
- Cassette on palmaromedial aspect of fetlock
- Centre beam at fetlock from dorsolateral aspect, midway between dorsal + lateral (45°)
- Profiles lateral sesamoid bone + dorsal medial aspect of P1
Fetlock (metacarpophalangeal/metatarsal phalangeal joint) - dorsolateral 45° palmaromedial oblique (DLPMO)
Fetlock (metacarpophalangeal/metatarsal phalangeal joint) - dorsolateral 45° palmaromedial oblique (DLPMO)
Fetlock (metacarpophalangeal/metatarsal phalangeal joint) - dorsomedial 45° palmarolateral oblique (DMPLO)
- Casette placed at palmarolateral aspect of fetlock
- Centre beam at fetlock from dorso-medial aspect (45°)
- Profile medial sesamoid bone + dorsolateral aspect of P1
- Flexed lateromedial view usually taken as well
Fetlock (metacarpophalangeal/metatarsal phalangeal joint) - dorsomedial 45° palmarolateral oblique (DMPLO)
Fetlock (metacarpophalangeal/metatarsal phalangeal joint) - dorsomedial 45° palmarolateral oblique (DMPLO)
Metacarpal/metatarsal - lateromedial
- Cassette placed on medial aspect of limb
- Centre on region of interest laterally
Metacarpal/metatarsal - lateromedial
Metacarpal/metatarsal - lateromedial
Metacarpal/metatarsal - dorsopalmar/plantar
- Cassette placed on palmar (plantar if hindlimb) aspect of metacarpal/metatarsal region
- Centre on mid-point of MCIII/MTIII perpendicular to cassette
- Include distal carpus + proximal fetlock
Metacarpal/metatarsal - dorsopalmar/plantar
Metacarpal/metatarsal - dorsopalmar/plantar
Metacarpal/metatarsal - dorsolateral 45° palmaromedial oblique (DLPMO)
- Cassette placed on palmaromedial aspect of MCIII just below carpus at 45° to lateromedial plane
- Beam directed from dorsolateral aspect at 45°
- Profiles MCIV (splint bone) on the palmarolateral aspect
- Marker on wrong side
Metacarpal/metatarsal - dorsolateral 45° palmaromedial oblique (DLPMO)
- Useful if you want to look at the lateral splint bone (4th MC or MT bone)
- As splint bones are positioned palmarly on the limb, and the in DLPMO, the palmarolateral (and dorsomedial aspects) are highlighted
- Medial splint bone is superimposed with the 3rd MC/MT bone
- Marker on wrong side
Metacarpal/metatarsal - dorsolateral 45° palmaromedial oblique (DLPMO)
Metacarpal/metatarsal - dorsomedial 45° palmarolateral oblique (DMPLO)
- Cassette placed on palmarolateral aspect of MCIII just below the carpus at angle of 45° to lateromedial plane
- Beam directed from dorsomedial aspect at 45° angle
- Profile MCIV (medial splint bone)
Metacarpal/metatarsal - dorsomedial 45° palmarolateral oblique (DMPLO)
Metacarpal/metatarsal - dorsomedial 45° palmarolateral oblique (DMPLO)
Carpus - dorsopalmar
- Cassette placed on palmar aspect of limb
- Horizontal beam perpendicular to cassette + limb (dorsally)
- Centre on middle carpal joint
- Carpus - dorsopalmar
- Centre - middle carpal joint
Carpus - dorsopalmar
Carpus - lateromedial
- Cassette placed on medial aspect of limb
- Centre beam on middle carpal joint perpendicular to cassette + limb
Carpus - lateromedial
Carpus - lateromedial
Carpus - DLPMO
Tarsus (hock) - lateromedial
- Cassette on medial aspect of hock
- Safest for assistant to hold cassette from dorsal aspect of hock
- Centre beam on either tarsocrural joint or distal intertarsal joints (depending on area of interest)
- Beam angled 5 - 10° proximodistally to avoid superimposition of distal tarsal joints
- Collimation includes point of hock, cranial aspect of distal tibia + proximal metatarsal bones
Tarsus (hock) - lateromedial
Tarsus (hock) - lateromedial
Tarsus - dorsoplantar
- Cassette held vertically on plantar aspect of hock
- Centre beam on either tarsocrural joint/distal tarsal joints
- In some horses - angling beam 5 - 10° proximo-distally will help to image the small tarsal joints more clearly
- Collimation includes point of hock proximally, proximal splint bones distally + medial + lateral malleous of tibia
Tarsus - dorsoplantar
Tarsus - dorsoplantar
Tarsus - dorsolateral-plantaromedial oblique (DLPMO)
- Cassette medial on plantaromedial aspect of hock, perpendicular to x-ray beam
- Centre on either tarsocrural or distal hock joints
- Collimation includes point of hock proximally, proximal splint bones distally + medial + lateral malleous of tibia
- Highlights medial malleous of tibia, medial trochlear ridge of talus + dorsomedial aspects of central + 3rd tarsal bones
- Tarsus - dorsolateral-plantaromedial oblique DLPMO
- Most useful for osteoarthritis of the DIT and PIT (bone spavin), a lot of the degenerative changes tend to occur along the medial surfaces of the joints (and this view highlights the dorsomedial aspect of the limb)
Tarsus - dorsolateral-plantaromedial oblique (DLPMO)
Tarsus - dorsomedial-plantarolateral oblique (DMPLO)
- Cassette held vertically on the plantarolateral aspect of the hock, perpendicular to the x-ray beam
- Beam centred on the tarsocrural or small tarsal joints
- Collimation includes point of hock proximally, proximal splint bones distally + medial + lateral malleous of tibia
- View highlights the sustentaculum tali (on medial aspect), lateral trochlear ridge of the talus + dorsolateral aspect of the central + third tarsal bones
- An alternative approach is to place the cassette on the dorsomedial aspect, and shoot from the plantarolateral aspect. This is technically a PLDMO, but produces the same image
- Tarsus - dorsomedial-plantarolateral oblique (DMPLO)
- Most important view for looking for specific osteochondrosis lesions - because the lateral trochlear ridge of the talus and distal intermediate ridge of the talus (DIRT) are the most common locations for osteochondrosis lesions of the tarsus
Tarsus - dorsomedial-plantarolateral oblique (DMPLO)
Stifle - lateromedial
- Cassette held as high up in groin region as pos and medial to stifle
- Beam centered on femorotibial joint
- Collimation includes distal femur, patella + proximal tibia
- Highlights trochlear ridiges of the femur, patella + and tibial crest
Stifle - lateromedial
Stifle - lateromedial
Stifle - caudocranial
- Cassette held at cranial aspect of stifle
- Beam is directed 10 - 15° proximodistally + centred on the stifle joint
- Collimation including distal femur, patella + proximal tibia
- Highlights intercondylar eminences of tibia, intercondylar fossa of the femur + femoral + tibial medial lateral condyles
Stifle - caudocranial
Stifle - caudocranial
Stifle - 60° caudolateral-craniomedial oblique
- Cassette held at craniomedial aspect of stifle
- Beam directed 10° proximodistally + centred on femorotibial joints
- Collimation includes distal femur, patella + proximal tibia
- (Also, flexed lateromedial views + ‘skyline’ (cranioproximal- craniodistal)
Oblique views
Standard radiographs that make up a ‘foot series’
- Lateromedial
- Dorsopalmar/Dorsoplantar
- Dorsoproximal-palmarodistal oblique (sometimes referred to as ‘Upright pedal view’ - although bear in mind this refers to the method used to acquire the image, not the image projection itself)
- Dorsoproximal-palmarodistal oblique (this time using higher exposures, and the beam centred slightly higher and collimated to focus on the navicular bone)
- Palmaroproximal-palmarodistal oblique (commonly known as ‘skyline navicular’)
Radiography of the foot indications
- Foot balance issues (LM and DP are most useful)
- Laminitis (LM and DP are most useful)
- Navicular syndrome (‘Coned down’ navicular [DPrPaDiO] and ‘skyline navicular’ [PaPrPaDiO] are most useful)
- Coffin joint osteoarthritis
- Foot abscesses
- P3 fractures
- Sidebone
Standard radiographic projections that make up a fetlock, metacarpal/metatarsal, carpus or tarsus series
- Lateromedial
- Dorsopalmar/Dorsoplantar - usually the xray machine is angled down by ~10o to ensure the proximal sesamoid bones are not obscuring the joint. (So technically it is a dorso10oproximal-palmarodistal oblique)
- Dorsolateral-palmaromedial oblique
- Dorsomedial-palmarolateral oblique - N.b because the fetlock is a fairly symmetrical joint, it can be difficult to tell these 2 oblique views apart unless they are appropriately labelled.
- Carpus - DLPMO
- If accessory carpal inlcuded know it is always lateral (LP) on that side, so can see MC IV (also on the lateral side)
- Carpus - DMPLO
- Accessory carpal bone on the superimposed on DL aspect
- MC II on the medial (PM) aspect
Carpus - flexed lateromedial
Standard radiographic projections that make up a ‘stifle series’
- Lateromedial
- Caudocranial
- 60o caudolateral-craniomedial oblique
Optional extra views if indicated: - Flexed lateromedial
- Cranioproximal-craniodistal oblique views (Skyline Patella)
Closed GP of carpus
Open GP
How to distinguish between DMPLO and DLMPO views of tarsus
- DMPLO = McDonalds ‘M’-shaped
- DLPMO = L, heart-shaped