Medical Imaging in the Canine Stifle

Generally, plain radiography has been in many cases the only imaging modality for the diagnosis and follow-up of stifle abnormalities. Over the years, however, radiologists and orthopaedic surgeons became aware of the importance of the diagnosis of not only bony conditions but also of a diverse variety of soft-tissue conditions. Besides plain radiography, the veterinary profession nowadays gets access to the following imaging modalities: scintigraphy, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound (US). Also arthroscopy has moved into the interest of veterinary orthopaedic surgeons for diagnosis and treatment of several stifle diseases and has become a routine procedure in several orthopaedic clinics.