Radiography| EQUINE
Field Guide To: The Flexed Dorsopalmar
Radiographic Projection Of The Fetlock
Piet Ramzan
The flexed dorsopalmar (plantarodorsal for hindlimb)
projection of the fetlock is arguably the most important
radiographic technique for the early detection of
potentially catastrophic fracture pathology in the
athletic horse.
The projection is used specifically when lesions of the
palmaro/plantarodistal condyles (highlighted in red
below) are suspected.
It is the only radiographic projection that permits
visualisation of the ‘fissure’ (‘unicortical’) fractures that
often precede complete condylar fracture.
they progress to complete fracture. Only a small subset
of injuries are radiologically silent or ambiguous and
require MRI for diagnosis.
The projection is also used for the detection of palmar/
plantar osteochondral disease (‘POD’ lesions/‘bone
bruising’), although unless pathology is advanced
the sensitivity and specificity of radiography for this
condition is generally poor.
For both fissure fracture and POD lesion detection,
multiple lesion-oriented exposures may be required.
With good clinical vigilance and radiographic technique
many fetlock condylar injuries can be detected before
• Volume 22 Issue 02 | June 2020 •
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