EQUINERADIOGRAPHIC

EQUINE RADIOGRAPHIC
POSITIONING
POSITIONING

GARRY D. LASAGA
GeneralConsiderations
General Considerations

 Potentially dangerous
 Potentially dangerous
 Some horses will be frightened by
by the
the strange
strange
 Some horses will be frightened
conditions
conditions
 In cases where a horse will not co-operate, using a
 In cases where a horse will not co-operate, using a
twitch, holding
twitch, holding up
up aa leg,
leg, oror chemical
chemical restraints
restraints will
will
havetotobe
have beused.
used.
GeneralConsiderations
General Considerations

 Blurred, underexposed or underpenetrated radiographs

 Blurred, underexposed or underpenetrated radiographs
arenon-diagnostic.
are non-diagnostic.
 Any mud or dirt must either be washed or brushed off
 Any mud or dirt must either be washed or brushed off
thearea
the areabeing
beingx-rayed.
x-rayed.
 Dried mud (around the foot and fetlock area) can
 Dried mud (around the foot and fetlock area) can
causeartefacts
cause artefactson
onthe
theradiograph.
radiograph.
GeneralConsiderations
General Considerations

 Radiographic examinations are often made away from

 Radiographic examinations are often made away from
theveterinary
the veterinaryclinic
clinicininaayard
yardororpaddock.
paddock.
 Films have to be returned to the clinic for processing
 Films have to be returned to the clinic for processing
soso an
an immediate
immediate evaluation
evaluation ofof the
the technical
technical quality
quality
cannotbe
cannot bemade.
made.
 Have a reliable exposure chart drawn up.
 Have a reliable exposure chart drawn up.
RadiographicEquipment
Radiographic Equipment

 Portable x-ray machines commonly used in equine

practices are generally small (for mobility) and have
lower x-ray output.
 The lower output may limit the operator to views of
the distal limbs only.
 Horses are generally x-rayed standing.
RadiographicEquipment
Radiographic Equipment

 Radiographicequipment should move as quietly and

produce minimal noise to avoid alarming the patient.
A light beam diaphragm must be used – not a cone or
other similar device.
VoltageCompensators
Voltage Compensators

 Used to overcome kilovoltage settings fluctuations in

the field.
 Sudden changes in KV will result in either an
overexposed or underexposed film.
RadiographicAids
Radiographic Aids

 Spade holders and cassette stands for holding

cassettes at a one metre distance away from the
primary beam.
 Wooden blocks and platforms of various sizes for x-
raying horses’ feet and naviculars.
 Forthe anaesthetised horse, ropes, troughs and
heavy objects are useful for positioning.
Film Identification
Film Identification
 Properly identified films are less likely to become lost
or misfiled and are essential in case of legal
complications.
 Information required: hospital/clinic name; patient and
owner’s name; date of radiography; left and right
markers; medial and lateral markers where necessary;
foreleg/hindleg; patient number
Radiation Protection
Radiation Protection
 Never place any part of your body in the primary beam
(even if wearing lead).
 Donot stand behind the cassette in line with the primary
beam.
 Use spade-holder for cassettes wherever possible.
 Always provide lead gowns for the person holding the
horse and gowns & gloves for the person holding the
cassettes.
Radiation Protection
Radiation Protection
 Do not hold the portable x-ray machine during exposure.
 Instead use a stand or place on a support of the correct
height for the area being radiographed.
 The most effective means of radiation protection is
distance.
 Thefurther away one is from the radiation source, the less
exposure is received (inverse square law).
 Mediolateral (standing)
Shoulder
ELBOW Mediolateral
Dorsopalmar standing view
Dorsopalmar upright pedal view