Recent improvements in digital imaging have greatly advanced the knowledge of equine anatomy. A new book featuring hundreds of multiple images of the equine foot, pastern and fetlock clearly demonstrates this point.

Jean-Marie Denoix, DVM and professor of anatomy and head of the Equine Clinical Unit at the National Veterinary School of Alfort in Paris, France, has authored a reference atlas of clinical anatomy correlated with images obtained by radiography, diagnostic ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Denoix, who is also the director of the new Center of Imaging and Research for Equine Locomotor Abnormalities in Normandy, has drawn on his background as one of the world’s foremost equine musculoskeletal system anatomists to put together a collection intended to serve as a direct source of information based on real, fresh anatomical specimens intended to be “as close as possible to live anatomy.”

Anatomical Basis

In his preface, Denoix says the objective of the atlas is to provide an anatomical basis required for the main steps in the clinical examination of locomotor problems in horses. This includes interpretation of local deformity, regional analgesia and intrasynovial analgesia, interpretation of diagnostic analgesia, preparation and interpretation of soft tissue images, especially ultrasound scans and anatomical landmarks for orthopedic surgery and local injection or treatment.

Multiple Views

The atlas shows the anatomy of the horse’s limb in the form of dissected anatomical specimens, anatomical cross-sections and diagnostic imaging documents–radiographs, ulnrasonograms, magnetic resonance imagine (MRI) scans–with explanatory legends.

The quality of the images is generally very high…