Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists, located near Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, have a new way to image the equine lower limb: a standing MRI (sMRI) system.

The system, which was installed in June, is designed to allow veterinarians to use MRI to accurately diagnose lameness without the time, expense, and risk associated with the general anesthesia required for traditional MRIs. Rather, a sMRI can be carried out with the horse standing under light sedation.

“We are very proud to have Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists as one of our newest sites,” says Dan Brown, BVSc, MRCVS, business development director at Hallmarq. “Like many other clinics, they are working to treat lameness injuries in a more effective manner and, perhaps more importantly, determine if they can predict and prevent issues before they happen.”

MRI is an important tool in lameness prevention and diagnosis as it can show both soft tissue and bony lesions weeks before they might be seen on a radiograph