Clinical applications of radiography and ancillary imaging

Radiography will remain the most popular imaging modality in the near future for many reasons. It is economical, portable, and familiar to large animal practitioners. Contrast radiography allows evaluation of vascular and tract lesions. Other modalities may offer various advantages. Diagnostic sonography has the advantage of being able to evaluate soft tissue structure damage, fluid pockets, and lucent foreign bodies. Xeroradiography and CR use conventional, high-powered x-ray units for the production of images on nontraditional ionized film plate-cassette systems. Both systems provide superior bone-soft tissue contrast, by virtue of edge enhancement, than does conventional radiography. CT and MR imaging provide cross-sectional imaging of bones and adjacent structures, avoiding structures that may be superimposed on the area of interest with conventional radiography. The major limitation is the demand for a custom-engineered couch able to withstand the weight of an adult bovine. Scintigraphy provides important functional information for the clinical evaluation of orthopedic disease. It may be the most useful imaging tool to localize the cause of lameness.