• Superior image quality.
• Faster study times (Approximately 4 seconds to acquire each image)
• More efficient – more X-ray studies can be performed in less time
• Less anxiety for the animal from reduction in study time
• Reduces patient and staff exposure time to radiation
• Allows for superior image manipulation
• Instantaneous viewing on all computers in the hospital
• All images can be viewed and assessed by a Board Certified Veterinary Radiologist
  via telemedicine

After being thoroughly examined by one of our doctors, your pet is sedated or anesthetized and placed on the CT imaging table. The CT technician positions the patient and programs the CT computer for the desired type of study. The patient table then advances through the CT gantry (which is a large, donut shaped opening) while an X-ray tube and sensors rotate at high speed around the patient. Usually, the scan is performed twice, the second time with administration of an intravenous contrast agent that highlights blood vessels and other structures. These images are reconstructed on a computer console attached to the CT machine, then reviewed by our specialists.

Brain – Trauma with suspected fracture, acute intracranial injury in an unstable patient

Spine – Fractures, mineralized disc rupture, neoplasia

Nasal Cavity & Sinuses – Chronic nasal discharge and/or sneezing, nasal distortion/deformation, neoplasia

Orbit/Ocular – Orbital trauma with suspected fracture, neoplasia

Head/Neck – Dental-related neoplasia, head/neck trauma with suspected fracture

Thorax – Metastatic screening, primary lung neoplasia, pneumothorax, lung lobe consolidation, chronic pneumonia, pleural effusion, mediastinal disease

Abdomen – Upper urinary tract evaluation, ectopic ureter, renal/ureteral calculi, clarification and surgical planning for large organ masses (including liver, spleen, kidney, GI tract), investigation of suspected portosystemic shunts

Musculoskeletal – Elbow dysplasia, suspected incomplete ossification of the humeral condyles, complex fractures

Neoplasia – Surgical planning for tumor removal or debulking, lung metastasis screening

Cardiovascular – Pulmonary embolism

Other – General trauma

**CT and MRI overlap in their use, and the decision of one modality over another is based on availability, cost, anticipated findings and patient stability.**

After being thoroughly examined by one of our doctors, your pet is anesthetized and placed in the MRI. The MRI technician positions the patient and programs the MRI computer for the desired type of study. An MRI study typically takes 30 minutes to one hour to complete, and requires general anesthesia, as the animal must be perfectly still for the duration of the study. The images are reconstructed on a computer console attached to the MRI, then reviewed by our specialists. 

MRIs are performed by technicians who have received advanced education and training in magnetic resonance imaging.

Brain – Brain disorders, seizures, cranial nerve signs, vestibular disease, ataxia, head tilt, behavioral changes, central blindness, pituitary disease, metastatic disease, congenital abnormalities, head trauma

Spine – Acute or progressive tetraparesis or hindlimb paresis, CP deficits, spinal pain, nerve root signature, spinal trauma, congenital abnormalities, discospondylitis

Peripheral Nervous System – Suspected peripheral nerve neoplasia, progressive single limb atrophy or pain

Nasal Cavity & Sinuses – Chronic nasal discharge and/or sneezing, nasal distortion/deformation, neoplasia

Orbit/Ocular – Exophthalmous, pain opening mouth, retrobulbar swelling or neoplasia, optic nerve disease

Head/Neck – Soft tissue masses or swelling, including lymph nodes, salivary glands, larynx, thyroid, maxilla, mandible, chronic ear disease, head tilt

Abdomen – Small organ masses including the pancreas, lymph nodes and adrenal glands, surgical planning for clarification or margins and involvement of neoplasia of large organs, including the liver, spleen, kidney, and GI tract

Musculoskeletal – Pain or lameness localized to a joint in the limb (particularly ligaments, tendons, menisci, cartilage, bone, or joint swelling)

Neoplasia – Soft tissue masses, especially for surgical planning, metastatic screening, lymph node and bone marrow evaluation

Cardiovascular – Pericardial effusions, pericardial masses, suspected large vessel thrombus

Other – Suspected foreign bodies, chronic draining tracts

**CT and MRI overlap in their use, and the decision of one modality over another is based on availability, cost, anticipated findings and patient stability.**

After being thoroughly examined by one of our doctors, your pet is positioned appropriately on the ultrasound examination table. For most patients, sedation or anesthesia is not required. The area of interest is clipped to allow the probe to make contact with the skin. The study is performed and interpreted by one of our trained clinicians. The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes to perform. Ultrasound is painless and noninvasive. 

Applications for ultrasound include:

• Evaluation of the abdominal organs, including the stomach, liver, spleen, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, lymphatic system, kidneys, urinary tract, and endocrine organs
• Pregnancy evaluation
• Imaging of thoracic and abdominal masses
• Imaging of fluid accumulation in the abdomen or thorax
• Imaging of the neck, including thyroid and parathyroid glands
• Imaging of blood vessels and flow, in and around the heart, and throughout the body
• Imaging of the eye (for masses and retinal detachment)
• Assessment of internal injuries after trauma (called an AFAST/TFAST scan)
• Minimally invasive techniques to obtain samples of organs for diagnosis of illnesses and cancers (fine needle aspirates, ultrasound-guided biopsies and cystocentesis, gall bladder secretions)

After being thoroughly examined by one of our doctors, your pet is positioned appropriately on the echocardiography examination table.  For most patients, sedation or anesthesia is not required.  The area of interest is clipped to allow the probe to make contact with the skin.  The study is performed and interpreted by one of our trained clinicians.  The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes to perform.  Echocardiography is painless and noninvasive. 

• Pericardial effusions
• Dilated cardiomyopathy
• Mitral regurgitation
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Pulmonary stenosis
• Ventricular septal defects
• AV valve dysplasia
• Patent ductus arteriousus
• Developmental defects
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Heartworm disease
• Heart based masses
• Advanced feline restrictive cardiomyopathy
• Right to left shunts
• Atrial septal defects
• AV valve stenoses
• Coronary artery defects
• Occult dilated cardiomyopathy
• Cor triatriatum
• Persistent left cranial vena cava
• Canine hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Feline diastolic dysfunction