Dr. Mathieu Spriet Becomes Founding Member of Equine Imaging Specialty

Dr. Mathieu Spriet, an associate professor in the Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, recently passed boarding examinations to become a founding member of the American College of Veterinary Radiology’s (ACVR) new subspecialty of Equine Diagnostic Imaging.

Only ten radiologists nationwide currently hold this new subspecialty credential in the ACVR. Dr. Spriet was previously credentialed as a Diplomate in the ACVR and the European College of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging.

Dr. Spriet has been instrumental in the development of the use of positron emission tomography (PET) on horse limbs. In 2016, UC Davis became the first veterinary hospital in the world to implement the use of an equine PET scanner. Dr. Spriet’s research, through support from the Grayson Jockey Club Research Foundation and UC Davis’ Center for Equine Health, has been instrumental over the past three years in showing PET’s ability to detect injuries not seen with other imaging modalities.

Because of this research, a PET scanner specifically designed for equine limbs will soon be installed at Santa Anita Park. Race officials hope to utilize this technology to identify pre-existing injuries before they lead to catastrophic breakdowns.

As a member of the UC Davis veterinary hospital’s Diagnostic Imaging Service, Dr. Spriet works closely with equine specialists in lameness, surgery, internal medicine, critical care, and sports medicine.

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