Are MRI and CT helpful in the diagnosis of injuries of the carpal region?

Lameness localised to the carpal area is a common cause of lameness in racehorses [1,2] and is also increasingly diagnosed in sports horses [3]. The anatomy of the carpus is complex which limits the usefulness of conventional imaging techniques. There is significant superimposition of the carpal bones on radiography and not all structures are accessible to ultrasound investigation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) provide us with three-dimensional images and therefore give us detailed information about the bone and soft tissue structures of the carpal region. MRI and CT scanners are becoming increasingly available for horses, MRI can be performed standing or under general anaesthesia, and in high-field or low-field systems ...