GOLD STANDARD DIAGNOSTICS
Magnetic Resonance Imaging at Moore Equine ST ORY A N D PH OT O S B Y J E N N W E B ST E R
The war against equine lower limb lameness has a tough warrior at its advantage in western Canada – Moore Equine in Calgary, Alberta, offers standing equine Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to the public. Although the technology has been available in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Washington for a while, it’s the first of its kind in the province of Alberta. MRI is a diagnostic technique that uses a magnetic field to produce pictures of structures inside the body. It’s an extremely exciting modality 16
ALBERTA BITS I SPRING 2022
for horse owners because previously in the province of Alberta, diagnosing lower limb lameness was limited to radiographs, ultrasounds, blocking and lameness exams by a veterinarian. The MRI gives owners a very specific, “goldstandard” diagnostic approach to lower limb lameness and – new hope.
THE TECHNOLOGY
To accommodate the equipment for an MRI, Moore Equine recently expanded their north facility with a specially built, climate-controlled, radio
frequency wave-blocking room. “All of the walls in this room are copper-lined to block out radio frequency waves,” says Sarah Freedman, an Animal Health Technologist (AHT or RVT) specifically trained for the MRI technology at Moore Equine. “Everything in the room is temperature controlled and anything that can interfere with the magnet (for instance, bank cards, cell phones, pace makers, etc.) must stay behind the yellow lines.” The MRI room at the clinic was
