Computed Tomographic Findings of Navicular Syndrome in a Horse
Authors: Seyoung Lee, Eun-bee Lee, Kyung-won Park, Hyo-Jung Jeong, K. Young, Jong-pil Seo
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Computed Tomographic Findings of Navicular Syndrome in a Horse Navicular syndrome remains a challenging diagnosis in equine practice, typically confirmed through a combination of clinical signs, nerve blocks, and radiography; however, these conventional methods have inherent limitations in visualising soft tissue and precise bone architecture. Lee et al. (2021) present a case study of an 18-year-old warmblood gelding with bilateral forelimb lameness in which computed tomography revealed multiple pathological features—including bone cysts, sclerotic changes, enlarged vascular channels, and enthesophytes within the navicular bone, plus mineralisation of the deep digital flexor tendon—that would have been difficult to characterise fully on standard radiographs. Following intra-bursal injection of triamcinolone and gentamicin, lameness improved within two days and the horse returned to soundness within eight weeks, demonstrating both the diagnostic utility of CT and a positive clinical response to targeted therapy. For equine professionals managing suspected navicular syndrome, this case underscores CT's capacity to provide detailed lesion mapping that can inform treatment strategy and prognostication, particularly where conventional imaging has been inconclusive or where bilateral disease is suspected. Whilst CT requires general anaesthesia and specialist facilities, the enhanced diagnostic clarity it offers—especially regarding the extent of degenerative changes and soft tissue involvement—may justify consideration in chronic or refractory cases where treatment decisions would benefit from precise anatomical definition.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Consider CT imaging when radiographic findings are inconclusive or you need detailed assessment of navicular bone lesions and adjacent soft tissue changes before committing to treatment
- •Intra-bursal corticosteroid and antibiotic injection can be effective for navicular syndrome, with some horses showing rapid clinical improvement
- •CT allows you to differentiate between various navicular pathologies (cysts, sclerosis, vascular changes) which may influence prognosis and treatment selection
Key Findings
- •CT imaging identified bone cysts, enlarged vascular channels, sclerosis, and enthesophytes in the navicular bone
- •Mineralization in the deep digital flexor tendon was detected on CT examination
- •Intra-bursal injection of triamcinolone and gentamicin resulted in lameness improvement within 2 days and soundness within 2 months
- •CT provided superior diagnostic clarity compared to radiography for determining extent and degree of navicular lesions