b'Learn about the machines and technology your veterinarian can use to look inside your horseHEATHER SMITH THOMASA GUIDE TOEquine Diagnostic ImagingUltrasound is useful for looking at soft tissues and bone surfaces.Radiographs what is available now, and this is true ofimmediate look at the horses internal Radiograph technology is the oldestall digital and computer technologies,structures. As an added bonus, says Mark imaging modality, having been around forsays Sarah Puchalski, DVM, Dipl. ACVR,Reilly, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, founder of more than a century. It has undergone aowner of Puchalski Equine DiagnosticSouth Shore Equine Clinic and Diagnos-dramatic evolution in the past 20 years,Imaging, in Petaluma, California. Theytic Center, in Plympton, Massachusetts, from film vets had to develop back at thekeep evolving and are leaps and boundsveterinarians can enhance (level, enlarge, clinic to nearly instantaneous high- qualityahead of where they once were. A lot ofinvert) the images and share them almost images captured with wireless equipmentthe new systems are battery-operated andinstantly through email.practitioners can use anywhere.completely portable. At the farm we can get good-quality X The earliest digital X ray systemsToday most veterinarians use theserays for the lame horse or do prepurchase were of considerably lesser quality thandigital radiograph machines for anexams, says Puchalski. For emergency TheHorse.com|The HorseFebruary 202021DiagnosticImaging.indd 21 1/3/20 10:16 AM'