Experiences with Computed Tomographic Imaging of Neck

Introduction
Various important clinical conditions that can result in reduced performance and morbidity are attributed to pathology of the equine cervical vertebrae. In sport horses, the cervical articular processes joints (APJs) are of particular interest. The clinical manifestations of disorders of the cervical spinal cord and vertebral column (including APJs) include neck stiffness, abnormal posture, reluctance to work, neurologic deficits, and lameness1. Abnormalities of the APJs can be caused by developmental defects, trauma, fractures and degenerative joint disease, which may contribute to cervical vertebral malformation (CVM), and result in nerve root compression and cervical stenotic myelopathy.

Diagnostic imaging of the cervical vertebral column is challenging. It is possible to identify some cervical vertebral lesions with radiography, ultrasonography or scintigraphy. Myelography can be used to detect spinal cord compression, however only dorsal and ventral compression in the sagittal plane can be detected, and the sensitivity and specificity of myelography may be site-dependent.

In dogs, CT and CT myelography are commonly used to diagnose spinal cord injuries and compression4. Equine post mortem studies have demonstrated that CT can image the cervical vertebral bodies, APJs, vertebral canal, soft tissues, and compression of nerve roots and the spinal cord. It has been perceived that CT of the entire cervical spine is impossible in large adult horses, but recently preliminary results have been presented showing that CT of the cervical spine is possible in live adult horses using a large bore CT scanner8.

The objectives of this abstract are to describe how we perform CT of the cervical spine using a large bore CT scanner at Evidensia Equine Hospital Helsingborg.  [...]