Perspective: Advanced Imaging – Have you Caught Up?

1 February 2007

Some in the veterinary industry consider that advanced imaging may be the next big thing. If you are one of those people, you have actually already missed the boat!

For 30 years CT and MRI have been readily available in the human medical field. Speaking recently to a human doctor at a metropolitan hospital, the comment was dropped that ‘ordering a CT is as common as buttering toast for breakfast’. A brief discussion about whether these imaging modalities were a little on the extravagant side was met with the reply of ‘CTs are cheap and fast. The only thing slowing the results down is hospital red tape, not the scan itself. There is no reason why I wouldn’t use it. And how am I expected to do my job without decent diagnostics?’

In the veterinary industry advanced imaging modalities such as CT and MRI became readily available 2 years ago and are now very much available and can be completed same-day in almost all cases. At the Southern Animal Referral Centre we have completed well over 1000 CT scans since installing a scanner in early 2006. During that time veterinarians at the Centre have come to depend on a diagnostic tool which is now used just a frequently as the humble x-ray.

A group of primary care veterinary clinics has also tagged on that advanced imaging is not only extremely effective in diagnosis of a huge range of conditions, but it is also providing a means to improve their service compared to clinics not employing advanced imaging. These clinics have realised that intelligent use of advanced imaging provides them with a huge advantage in the identification and quantification of a large number of disease processes and conditions.

Conditions which are now seen daily for scans range widely and include lung checks for cancer spread, imaging for the size and location of primary tumours, diagnosis of several spinal conditions, general abdominal scans and brain scans.

Scans are available immediately and can be reconstructed electronically to hone in on and digitally enhance the area of interest. Pet owners can be ‘walked’ through the scans to identify areas of interest within the scan region. In the cases where treatment proceeds, vets feel that they have ‘already been there’ before making the first incision.

Clinics who have proactively embraced advanced imaging are reporting far better outcomes in cases where treatment is attempted. This has translated to happier and healthier pets and better satisfied clients.

Advanced imaging is available for any pet with a referral from their local veterinary clinic. Please call the Southern Animal Referral Centre on (03) 9532 5261 if you would like to know more about advanced imaging.

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