Radiology of the equine head

Question 1

Technique

Answer 1

• Mobile and high of the ground
• Tranquillisers (Xylazine, Detomidine, Romifidine)
• Large size cassettes/imaging plates (35x43 cm)
• Right and left lateral-lateral
• Dorsoventral-ventrodorsal
• Obliques
• Collimation, cassette holder
• Rope halter

Question 2

What is seen when radiographing the head?

Answer 2

Cranium
paranasal sinuses and maxilla
teeth and mandible
pharynx, larynx and guttural pouch

Question 3

What can be seend when radiographing the cranium?

Answer 3

cranial vault and bony skull
ethmoid bones
part of frontal bones
ventral rami of bones
atlas

Question 4

Views when radiographing the head

Answer 4

Lateral-Lateral

• 5 cm caudal to the orbit
• cassette - midline of the head: parallel

Ventrodorsalis (VD)
- X-ray beam centered on th elarynx

Obliques
- Temporomandibular joints (TMJ)

Question 5

Radiographing, immature, young patients head

Answer 5

more domed cranium
suture
- os frontale: 3-5 months
- nasofrontalis suture: 6 months
- spheno-occipitalis suture: 5 years

Question 6

Radiographing the head of a mature horse

Answer 6

cranial caity is large an oval
irregular dorsal aspect
ventrally
- TMJs
- processus coronoideus
- zygomatic arch

petrous temporal bones
nuchal ligament attachment
rostral to cranial cavity
- ethmodialis tubinate - caudal part more opaque
- rostral ethmoid superimposed over the sinus maxillaris sinus
- dorsal to ethmoid: sinus frontalis
- ventral-guttural pouch-larynx-pharynx

Question 7

Views when looking at TMJ’s

Answer 7

R45V

CDDO

Question 8

Views when looking at the maxilla and paranasal sinuses

Answer 8

LL
- X-ray beam: midway between the orbit and lateral opening of the infraorbital canal, 2.5 cm dorsal to the facial crest

VD
- beam: midline between horizontal rami of the mandibula, at the level of the caudal and midthird border

DV
- Beam: saggital plane, between the orbit and foramen infraorbitale

Oblique views
•	D30Prox60L-VLO
•	L30D-LVO
•	V30L-DLO
•	Günther-type speculum

Question 9

significant pathologies

Answer 9

sinusitis (primary/secondary)
cyst
tumor
proliferative ethmoid haematoma (PEH)
Trauma

Question 10

radiographing the teeth and mandible

Answer 10

lateral-lateral view
ventrodorsal view
oblique views
- L30V-RDO
- L30D-RDO

Question 11

normal anatomy of the teeth and mandible

Answer 11

mandibular symphysis
incisors, canines, wolf teeth, premolars, molars
triadan system

Question 12

radiographing pharynx, larynx and guttural pouch, what you see and in which views?

Answer 12

integral parts of the upper airway system
soft tissue structures
lateral-lateral view
ventrodorsal view