Since 1998, Equine Practice has been the first facility in Italy to operate a Gamma Camera for equine nuclear scintigraphy, becoming a reference center for advanced imaging diagnostics of lameness in sport horses.
The system has recently been upgraded with new acquisition software, resulting in a substantial improvement in image quality, even in clinically challenging cases such as young or highly reactive horses. These technological advancements have also led to shorter examination times, improving patient management and overall safety.
More than twenty-five years of experience have demonstrated that bone scintigraphy is the diagnostic method of choice for occult lameness in the athletic horse. In several conditions, scintigraphy represents the only definitive diagnostic tool, particularly for:
Scintigraphy also allows detection of:
Nuclear scintigraphy identifies areas of increased bone metabolic activity, enabling the detection of early pathological processes before structural changes become radiographically evident.
This early diagnosis significantly reduces the risk of catastrophic and irreversible progression, particularly in conditions affecting the long bones of sport horses. For this reason, scintigraphy has become an essential tool in veterinary diagnostic imaging and is strongly indicated in cases of severe acute lameness with negative initial radiographic findings.
Based on clinical history and referring veterinarian recommendations, Equine Practice offers three scintigraphic examination options:
The Nuclear Scintigraphy service is supervised by Dr. Luca Tosti Croce.
