Why are MRIs important?
A magnetic resonance image (MRI) offers an unparalleled view of the inside of a body, revealing both soft tissue structures and bone (as opposed to an x-ray or an ultrasound, each of which has its uses but also its limitation — neither are considered adequate for showing if a dog has SM, because an X-ray can show the skull malformation, but often the malformation is too subtle for an x-ray, which also cannot show the fluid-pocket syrinxes; and an ultrasound, while potentially useful for a basic diagnosis when syrinxes are very noticeable, doesn’t give adequate detail or a very clear image). MRIs, because they are quite expensive, have only recently begun to be used in veterinary practice. Their use in this way has enabled researchers to finally see clearly what is happening in a dog’s head when it has SM and for the first time also revealed the worrying extent of the skull malformation as well as SM in the breed. International research studies by different researchers across several c
