Current and Emerging Quantitative Imaging Modalities for Diagnosing and Monitoring Equine Tendon and Ligament Injuries

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Equine Sports Medicine

Background:

• Traditional imaging methods for equine soft tissue injuries have limitations in detail and early detection.
• Technological advancements are crucial for improving diagnostic accuracy in equine musculoskeletal conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review advanced imaging modalities for diagnosing equine tendon and ligament injuries.
• To highlight the benefits of elastography, CT, and MRI in equine soft tissue injury assessment.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on advanced ultrasonography (elastography), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.
• Focus on innovations like PET/CT fusion, dual-energy CT, and diffusion-weighted MRI.
• Evaluation of how these modalities assess tissue properties and microstructure.

Main Results:

• Elastography provides insights into tissue stiffness and strain, complementing B-mode ultrasonography.
• CT innovations offer enhanced anatomical detail and functional information (PET/CT, dual-energy CT).
• Diffusion-weighted MRI shows potential for evaluating fiber microstructure and tissue functionality.

Conclusions:

• Advanced imaging modalities significantly improve the diagnosis and management of equine tendon and ligament injuries.
• These techniques enable earlier detection, better structural assessment, and monitoring of healing.
• Complementary use of these advanced imaging methods addresses limitations of conventional diagnostics for equine soft tissue injuries.