Equine Nuclear Medicine in 2024: Use and Value of Scintigraphy and PET in Equine Lameness Diagnosis.
Authors: Spriet Mathieu, Vandenberghe Filip
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Nuclear medicine imaging—specifically scintigraphy and PET—provides functional rather than purely anatomical information, offering distinct advantages in equine lameness investigation that complement conventional radiography and ultrasound. Scintigraphy has been the mainstay of equine nuclear imaging since the late 1970s, excelling at whole-body screening and imaging of large anatomical regions in two dimensions, whilst PET, adopted more recently in equine practice from 2015 onwards, delivers high-resolution three-dimensional functional data of the distal limb with superior spatial detail. This 2024 review from Spriet and Vandenberghe synthesises current evidence on the diagnostic utility and practical applications of both modalities across the spectrum of lameness presentations. For equine professionals involved in lameness diagnosis and management, understanding when and how to deploy these nuclear techniques—particularly PET's enhanced capability for detecting subtle soft tissue and bone pathology in the foot and lower limb—can significantly refine diagnostic accuracy and inform targeted rehabilitation or farriery interventions. The paper serves as an important reference for practitioners considering advanced imaging options, especially in cases where conventional modalities have proven inconclusive or where detailed functional assessment of lower limb structures could alter clinical decision-making.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Scintigraphy is your established tool for screening multiple body regions and whole-body lameness workups in horses when functional information is needed
- •PET offers superior detail for distal limb cases where high-resolution three-dimensional imaging can guide treatment decisions, though availability may be limited
- •Nuclear medicine imaging identifies areas of abnormal metabolic activity that may not show on radiographs or ultrasound, helping prioritize treatment and prognosis
Key Findings
- •Scintigraphy remains the only nuclear medicine technique commonly used for whole-body imaging in horses since its introduction in the late 1970s
- •PET provides higher resolution three-dimensional functional imaging of the equine distal limb compared to scintigraphy, first clinically applied to horses in 2015
- •Both scintigraphy and PET provide functional information complementary to anatomical imaging modalities for lameness diagnosis