Nixon Equine Ultrasound
Nixon Equine Veterinary Practice has recently installed a Sonosite Titan digital ultrasound unit which is capable of imaging bone, tendons, ligaments and soft tissue. The unit probes use a broad ultrasound frequency band-width which means they are capable of imaging both superficial and deep structures. The Titan will produce extremely good images of the head, neck, back, all aspects of the limbs, heart, lungs, abdominal and pelvic cavities. This is extremely useful in determining pelvic fractures and sacro-iliac strains etc, as the probe may be used both internally and externally within the pelivs and also for emergency diagnostic work, such as in colin cases.
The digital images generated are of very high resolution. This facilitates earlier identification of pathological changes and detection of subtle damage, thus improving diagnosis and the opportunities for treatment. Earlier treatment of lesions can offer a better prognosis for return to performance.
The digital image produced is viewed in real-time on a computer screen. The images can be ‘frozen’ or paused. Measurements can then be taken to ascertain the degree of damage present and to monitor the progress of an injury as it heals.
The images can then be stored electronically and on disk and thereafter printed or e-mailed to the owner or to other centres if a referral is required. Both Ultrasound and X-ray images are Dicom compatible and as such cannot be corrupted or tampered with, which is extremely useful when carrying out pre-purchase examainations.
