Computed tomography anatomy of the pony thorax and abdomen and an example of a clinical application

Abstract Background In veterinary medicine, computed tomography (CT) is a valuable diagnostic tool that provides detailed cross-sectional images with higher contrast resolution than conventional radiography. However, owing to the large body-size of horses, CT has been primarily limited in equine veterinary practice to imaging of the head, neck, and extremities, as imaging studies of the thoracic and abdominal cavities are not possible with standard gantry size in medium-to-large horses. In this study, we aimed to characterise the normal thoracic and abdominal anatomy of ponies using CT and to describe an example of the potential clinical applications of abdominal CT. CT examination of two ponies was performed in dorsal recumbency using a helical 16-slice multidetector scanner with a 90 cm-diameter gantry. The normal anatomy of these cavities was described and compared with anatomical cross-sections, and a clinical case involving colic surgery was analysed. Results Most of the thoracic and abdominal organs in the anatomical section were identifiable, and the use of these images as a reference assisted well in the interpretation of the clinical case scans. The advanced imaging technique aided in surgical planning. In the case involving colic surgery, no evidence of thick-walled intestinal segments was found on CT, but contents including gas, fluid, different types of ingests, and sand were identified preoperatively. Nerves or serous membranes (except for the spinal cord) could not be clearly identified on native CT images. Conclusions CT was useful for clinical diagnosis, but the small number of cases included in the study is a limitation that should be acknowledged.