Adding Substance to Imaging - 3D Volume Rendering Never Looked So Good!

A major upgrade of 3D volume rendering and analysis has been undertaken at the Southern Animal Referral Centre. This adds to the already-comprehensive image analysis abilities developed over the past two years of the advanced imaging service at SARC.

The newly-acquired new volume-rendering software for the helical CT scanner installed at SARC allows photo-realistic reconstruction of relevant anatomy directly relevant to subsequent invasive procedures which depend on accurate identification of the location and extent underlying structures of interest. This markedly improves the confidence of practitioners in settings such as cancer surgery.

Surgeon Charles Kuntz of the Southern Animal Referral Centre comments that “using this technology, as a cancer surgeon, I get the distinct feeling during surgery that ‘I have been there before.’ Vascular ‘surprises’ are almost a thing of the past. The extent of invasion of the tumour can also be accurately predicted.” As demonstrated by the accompanying image, structures such as salivary gland tumours deep to the zygomatic arch can be easily visualised prior to a single cut being made. The linguofacial veins near to the right salivary gland are clearly identified and are close proximity to the tumour. Locating such significant structures prior to surgery clearly improves the possibility of a complication-free procedure.

Computed tomography is always available at the SARC as either an inpatient or outpatient procedure. If you have a case which you would like to refer, or which you feel would benefit from CT imaging prior to treatment in your own facility, please do not hesitate to contact SARC on (03) 9532 5261.

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