Questionnaire study of nuclear scintigraphy protocols in equine clinical practice: Preliminary data

Background Nuclear scintigraphy is commonly used as a diagnostic tool in equine medicine, particularly in the orthopaedic field. However, the scintigraphy protocol varies in the literature.Objectives To gather data on scanning protocols and radiation safety measures commonly employed in equine practice.Study design Prospective, descriptive, and questionnaire-based study.Methods An electronic survey was distributed by Medical Imaging Electronic to clinics using an equine scanner scintigraphy unit (n = 150). The survey was designed to document staff experience therewith, operating procedures, and radiation safety practices.Results The response rate was 30% (45/150). Scintigraphy was used as a diagnostic tool in 6.8%-22.2% of the horses that presented for lameness examination. The most commonly used bone tracer was hydroxyethylene diphosphonate (51.1%; 23/45). The vascular and pool phases were rarely (<10% of horses) performed. The whole-body scintigraphy was performed in 61-90% of the horses in 53.3% (24/45) of the participating clinics. The acquisition time of 90 s per image was commonly used (46.7%, 21/45). Fifty-five percent of the operators underestimated or did not know the personnel's radiation exposure during the acquisition of bone scintigraphy and 34% of the personnel did not wear radiation protective clothes. Non-musculoskeletal scintigraphy was never or rarely used in 88.9% of the clinics.Main limitations The relatively low response rate may indicate that the reported findings are not fully representative of all equine practices.Conclusions This survey provides preliminary data, which may be used to establish a guideline for equine nuclear scintigraphy in the future.