Bringing the Most Advanced Diagnostic Imaging to Equine Athletes

September 24, 2021

A horse is shown with its head resting on a pillow in the CT machine waiting to be scanned
The Qalibra system, recently installed in the Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital, enables the CT machine to be adjusted in height to the size of the horse and moved horizontally over the patient during the scan, allowing the patient to stand without restraint. (Photo courtesy of Qalibra)
A digital scan showing the side of the horse's leg
A sagittal CT slice of a horse that presented with chronic lameness localized to the fetlock with previous diagnostic efforts unable to conclusively provide a diagnosis. The fetlock joint of the standing horse was examined in the CT with intra-articular contrast agent administration (arthrography). The patient’s veterinary team was able to diagnose the horse with mild osteoarthritis of the fetlock joint. (Photo courtesy of Qalibra)

Equine athletes in Indiana now have access to the latest diagnostic imaging technology thanks to installation of the Qalibra Computed Tomography (CT) machine at the Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital, a satellite facility of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine located in Shelbyville, Ind.  The helical (spiral) CT features the world’s largest field-of-view and can be adjusted in height according to the size of the horse, making it possible to scan patients while they are safely standing or under general anesthesia or light sedation.

Developed in Germany by equine specialists in conjunction with Canon Medical, the Qalibra CT system also will be installed in the new David and Bonnie Brunner Equine Hospital that is being built on the Purdue University campus with an anticipated opening in spring 2022.  At that point, of the three known Qalibra CT installations in the United States, the College of Veterinary Medicine will have two of them.

A front view of the large cylinder where a patient is placed for the computed tomography scan
A front view of the gantry on the Qalibra CT machine, which was specially designed to serve equine patients. (Photo courtesy of Qalibra)

Located near Indiana Grand Racing and Casino, the Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital provides expert veterinary medical diagnostics and treatment for Indiana’s growing equine industry. Dr. Timm Gudehus, the hospital’s senior equine surgeon, explains the facility offers such specialized services as advanced equine surgery, including long-bone fracture repair; orthopedic examinations involving advanced diagnostic imaging, including nuclear scintigraphy (bone scan); other diagnostic services such as ultrasound and dynamic endoscopy; and treatments that incorporate a range of biologics and stem cell therapy.

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Recent Stories

PVM Clinical Pathologist Elected to Viticus Group (WVC) Board of Directors

Dr. Craig Thompson, clinical associate professor of clinical pathology in Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology, now is a member of the Board of Directors of Viticus Group – formerly WVC. Dr. Thompson was elected to the board when votes were cast in the board election held in conjunction with the 2026 WVC Annual Conference (formally known as the Western Veterinary Conference) earlier this month in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

This week we are pleased to share a colleague’s words of appreciation for Dr. Erin Paul-Stewart, who is a medical oncology resident in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.

Veterinary Boilermakers on the Road: Purdue Veterinary Alumni Reconnect and Celebrate at National Conferences

The veterinary profession is built on lifelong learning, meaningful connections, and a shared commitment to animal and human health. This winter, those values were on full display as Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine alumni, faculty, students and friends gathered at two of the profession’s premier events—the Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) in Orlando, Florida, and the Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The GOAT Named Oreo Captures Attention for PVM at Annual Purdue Ag Alumni Fish Fry

Purdue Veterinary Medicine joined in the festivities as the annual Purdue Ag Alumni Fish Fry earlier this month celebrated alumni and friends who have shaped Purdue Agriculture's legacy and will help define its future. In particular, this year’s event on February 7 at the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds provided an opportunity to highlight the longstanding partnership between the College of Agriculture and College of Veterinary Medicine.

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

This week we’re giving a big high-five to Micah Black, who is a veterinary nursing assistant in Large Animal Surgery.

Research accomplishments of CPB’s Uma Aryal featured in ASBMB Today Article

A recently published article in ASBMB Today, the member magazine of the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, details groundbreaking research led by Uma K. Aryal, research associate professor in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology.

PVM Associate Dean S. Kathleen Salisbury Receives IVMA President’s Award

Dr. S. Kathleen Salisbury, Purdue Veterinary Medicine associate dean for academic affairs, was honored recently by the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association as the recipient of the association’s annual President’s Award.

Three PVM Alumni Receive IVMA Awards for Achievements and Volunteering

The Indiana Veterinary Medical Association (IVMA) honored three Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumni with awards for significant achievements and volunteering during the association’s recent Crossroads Veterinary Conference. The awards were presented January 30 at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center in Noblesville, Indiana.

In Memory – Dr. Thomas A. Bryan, Retired Purdue Avian Diagnostician

The Purdue Veterinary Medicine community mourns the passing of a dedicated poultry veterinarian and esteemed avian diagnostician, Dr. Thomas A. Bryan.