Fracture Imaging

The ability to visualize a fracture in three dimensions prior to repair is obviously an enormous advantage particularly in the multi-fragmented distal limb fractures commonly seen in the horse. Pre-surgical planning prior to internal fixation is more commonly accomplished utilizing CT images, but we have recently been evaluating the use of short MRI T1 weighted sequences to accomplish the same thing. We have been able to attain excellent three dimensional studies in less than four minutes of imaging time. It takes a little more than 10 minutes to transport the horse to and from the MRI room and position him. Since we no longer take the time to take pre-operative radiographs we potentially add only about ten more minutes to the anesthetic time. More accurate preoperative planning should translate into shorter surgical procedures and hopefully fewer post-op problems. Finally, since the MRI table doubles as the surgery table, there is often no need to reposition the horse for surgery following the completion of the MRI.