[Typical presentation of the common tendon sheath of the M. flexor hallucis longus and the M. tibialis caudalis in the horse].

The possibilities for imaging soft tissue structures, especially fluid-filled cavities such as articulations, bursae or tendon sheaths, have been improved markedly by sonography in recent years. Ultrasonic examinations were performed on the common tendon sheath of the musculus flexor hallucis longus and the musculus tibialis caudalis, from the medioplantar aspect of the tarsus, in 12 sound adult draft- and warm blood horses, and in 5 animals with a distended common sheath. The diagnostic precision of the sonographic examination of the tendon sheath is excellent and is superior to conventional radiography. A nuclear magnetic resonance tomogram of an isolated equine tarsus is presented for comparison method.