Fig. 1a&b: Images of 8yo CKCS presenting with acute onset head tilt. Above,(a) dorsal and below (b), transverse T2W slices showing well-defined segmental oedema of the cerebellum. Diagnosis - infarction.
In recent years, there have been significant strides in the development of and access to advanced imaging in veterinary medicine. Techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) and fluoroscopy were once the preserve of human medical establishments or research facilities. However, several factors, namely:
– a rising awareness amongst veterinarians and clients as to the results these modalities can deliver,
– a wider uptake of pet insurance to ultimately fund private investment in these technologies, and
– on-going development of both hardware and software, resulting in falling equipment and maintenance cost, have all contributed to increased availability, where the majority of referral practices and many large veterinary groups have on-site equipment, or at least regular access to one or more of these techniques.
Given the inherent limitations of each technique, it is useful to have a broad understanding of the indications and disadvantages of each, so as to offer timely advice to your clients as to how further assessments might proceed, whilst making best use of available funds in each case; in many instances, radiography and ultrasonography will suffice, but these techniques may fail to yield useful information in certain circumstances and might even delay timely referral or possibly exacerbate an unstable patient – it is not unheard of for animals to present with grade V spinal lesions following radiology under general anaesthesia as part of initial assessment for spinal pain or weakness. Read More »