Thermographic Examination of the Horse

Thermography is a noninvasive diagnostic imaging technique that detects regions of the body surface with increased (or decreased) temperature by measuring infrared radiation. It reveals physiological and pathophysiological changes primarily related to blood flow and metabolic rate in the examined body regions, as well as altered heat production. These include physical stress, various physical injuries, medical conditions, and environmental factors. In equine medicine, thermography can be used for early detection of tissue temperature changes, allowing intervention at an early stage of a medical deterioration. Thermographic examination can be used to detect tissue abnormalities in all regions of the body. It is particularly useful for the detection of musculoskeletal disorders. Inflammatory processes are present in many diseases and injuries, which can be successfully detected with thermography. Thermography makes it possible to monitor the success of treatment. Often, thermographically visible disease changes are detected before clinical signs or other imaging techniques become visible in the animal. In physical therapy, it helps locate regions of the body in need of treatment and plays an important role in detecting illegal procedures (such as local analgesics) to improve competitive performance in horses.

Thermography serves as a complementary diagnostic tool. However, in practice, it has some limitations. The method is not specific and cannot determine the etiology of pathological changes. Therefore, it is usually used together with other diagnostic methods (such as X-ray, ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) and can not replace them.