For non-urgent cases, the center will usually contact the owner directly to schedule an appointment. Owners should also be aware that horseshoes will need to be removed from the limb(s) being imaged. Arriving with clean, dry legs free from topical sprays or antiseptics helps produce the best possible MRI images.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the Day: How the Horse is Scanned<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Reassurance for both you and your client here is straightforward, because the procedure is designed around the horse’s welfare. There is no general anesthesia. The horse stands, mildly sedated, with the limb positioned in the magnet inside a radiofrequency (RF) shielded room. No ionizing radiation is involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/hallmarq.net\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/20241029-HM-PT-6W1A0524Oakhill-1024x683.jpg\")
![\"Standing](\"https:\/\/hallmarq.net\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/20241029-HM-PT-6W1A0478Oakhill-1024x683.jpg\")
Careful positioning and a calm, well-prepared horse make all the difference to image quality. Even the most settled horse sways slightly when standing, so Hallmarq’s motion correction software \u2013 unique in the equine field \u2013 compensates for that movement and repeats any part of a sequence that would otherwise blur. A single region (foot or fetlock or PSL etc) can take anywhere between 20-45 mins depending on imaging protocol used and temperament of the horse. For patients where multiple regions of the limb need imaging, the time can add up. Occasionally the exam might be spread over two days to limit sedation. The majority of horses are seen as day patients and go home once they have recovered from sedation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a fuller walkthrough you can share with clients, the Guide to Standing Equine MRI<\/a> covers preparation, the scan itself and aftercare in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once the scan is complete, a specialist interprets the images and produces a radiological report. A comprehensive report is usually available within a few days, with copies sent to both you and the owner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The report does more than describe what was found. By arrangement, most centers will also provide:<\/p>\n\n\n\n MRI’s value lies in what it reveals that other modalities can\u2019t. It images bone and soft tissue in the same examination, distinguishes water from fat, and can identify early bone changes such as bone edema. It also helps assess the activity of lesions and their potential clinical significance, for example in tendons and ligaments, which may not be apparent from other imaging modalities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because the report comes with a plain language explanation and the horse comes back to you, you\u2019re well placed to lead the conversation that matters most: what the findings mean for this horse and what happens next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The framing that tends to land is a collaborative one. You and a specialist have worked together to reach a definitive answer and that answer allows for a specific, targeted treatment rather than trial and error. Owners are increasingly familiar with MRI from human medicine and often arrive at the idea themselves; when they see their own veterinarian coordinating it, their confidence in the whole process grows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The case for early referral is a clinical one before it is a commercial one. Lameness that is treated without a clear diagnosis has a habit of returning \u2013 the horse comes back to the clinic again and again and each cycle of empirical treatment and rehabilitation carries its own cost in time, money and welfare. An early, definitive diagnosis breaks that loop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In many horses, lameness is managed conservatively rather than surgically, but an accurate diagnosis is still essential to guide treatment and rehabilitation, establish a realistic prognosis, and understand what to expect for the horse\u2019s future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Horses that localize to the same region can have very different underlying pathology and imaging before committing to a procedure can confirm that surgery is the right call \u2013 or reveal pathology that changes the plan entirely and means conservative management is more appropriate. The alternative is discovering, twelve months and a full rehabilitation later, that the picture was never as simple as it looked. Our piece on whether to scan before surgery in proximal suspensory disease<\/a> explores exactly this trade off. Seen in that light, the cost of a scan starts to look modest against the cost of getting the decision wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also worth revisiting what standing MRI can now see. Imaging is no longer confined to the foot \u2013 the distal limb can be assessed up to the carpus and hock, which brings a range of proximal limb cases into scope that might previously have been referred elsewhere or left undiagnosed. If it has been a while since you reviewed your own case selection, now is a good time to look again<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your’e looking to refer a horse for MRI and have a case in mind, the simplest starting point is a conversation with your nearest facility. You can find a Hallmarq site here<\/a> and the FAQs for equine vets<\/a> answer the practical questions that come up most often. As ever, our team is happy to talk through anything you are unsure about.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow the Report Comes Back to You<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
![\"Wisconsin](\"https:\/\/hallmarq.net\/app\/uploads\/2018\/01\/EQ_viewing-images_450px-1024x360.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nTalking to the Owner<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why the Referral is Worth Making<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cases You Might Not Have Considered Scanning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Making a Referral for Standing MRI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n