Looking deep into a horse’s problems
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Looking deep into a horse’s problems


Exploring horse’s health issues now involves some pretty sophisticated technology. Take an MRI scan, for instance, which might be able to diagnose a puzzling problem when other tests come up empty.

Some veterinary centers now use MRI to diagnose equine lameness. Patients undergoing MRI have to lie still on a table that slides into a tubular chamber. So not surprisingly, a horse needs to be anesthetized for the test. But the result is an incredibly clear image showing bone, muscle and tendon in far greater detail than images created by X-ray or ultrasound.

MRI can diagnose diseases from arthritis and bone bruises to joint infections and soft tissue injuries. Once armed with a specific diagnosis, a veterinarian can develop treatment to target the problem.

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