Ultrasonographic examination of the palmar aspect of the pastern of the horse: Digital flexor tendons and digital sheath

Summary

# Editorial Summary: Ultrasonographic Examination of the Palmar Pastern The palmar pastern region is frequently implicated in equine lameness, yet accurate diagnosis of soft tissue injury in this anatomically complex area demands reliable imaging technique. Coudry and Denoix established a standardised ultrasonographic protocol for examination of the digital flexor tendons and digital sheath by defining four distinct anatomical levels and describing both transverse and longitudinal scanning planes at each level. By documenting detailed normal reference images alongside pathological findings, the authors provided clinicians with a practical framework for identifying digital flexor tendon lesions and digital sheath pathology—distinguishing between injury patterns and establishing baseline criteria for monitoring healing. This systematic approach has become foundational for farriers, veterinarians and physiotherapists involved in lameness investigation, enabling more precise identification of soft tissue damage that might otherwise be missed on clinical examination alone. Given that the digital flexor tendons and sheath are common sources of performance-limiting lameness, mastery of this ultrasonographic technique remains essential for any equine professional involved in diagnosing or managing foot and pastern problems.

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Key Findings

• •Ultrasonography is the technique of choice for identifying and documenting tendon and ligament injuries in the pastern region
• •Comprehensive ultrasonographic protocol requires examination at 4 anatomical levels using both transverse and longitudinal scans
• •Ultrasound examination is essential for routine diagnostic work-up of lameness originating from foot or pastern areas

Conditions Studied