Imaging forms the cornerstone of many of the diagnostic work-up required by our other departments. Misunderstanding or misinterpretation at this level of the investigation can greatly affect the clinical decision and the outcome for your pet.
VES provides a full range of imaging tests, without delays in interpretation. By working on-site, we can review and repeat the studies until reaching the required standards for diagnosis. This will spare these patients the risk of undergoing multiple procedures and allows a faster communication and transition between departments, should a procedure be performed under the same anesthesia.
Patients undergoing some Imaging procedures will usually be staged and assessed after being admitted by one of our clinicians. These inpatients may receive a series of tests (blood samples, coagulation test) prior to the test in order to optimize the outcome of the procedure (usually performed under some chemical restraint, either sedation or anesthesia).
If the wish of your veterinarian is to refer your pet directly as an outpatient (external referral), our team will provide with a few pre-requisites at the time of the referral. This is to ensure that these procedures can be performed with the same standards of care as for our in-patients.
An online or hard-copy information sheet is required as well on admission and should guarantee that the tests requested are useful and safely performed. Please be aware that many Imaging procedures require at least a short sedation or even a short anesthesia. This is to reduce any stress or discomfort and improve significantly the quality of the examination. This means that we advise your pet to be starved 8-12 hours prior to her/his appointment (only water is allowed).
Our Diagnostic Imaging equipment comprises of:
- Direct digital X-ray with variable focal distance, allowing oblique x-rays
- 32 slices GE CT scan
- GE ultrasound scanning suite including cardiovascular assessment
- Mobile GE fluoroscopy unit (C-arm) for real time/dynamic X-ray typically used in our operating rooms
- On site MRI scan for some specific conditions (brain, complex spinal).
Please find below non-exhaustive list of the Imaging procedures routinely performed at VES Hospital:
Digital Radiography
- Radiographs of the thorax, abdomen, head, axial and appendicular skeleton
- Contrast studies (digestive and urinary system, fistulography…)
- Radiography reporting service
Fluoroscopy
- Dynamic radiography of the patient
- Evaluation of moving structures such as the esophagus and the trachea
- Swallowing studies
- Evaluation of tracheal and bronchial collapse and others
Ultrasound
The area to be scanned will have to be clipped
- Abdominal ultrasound
- Thoracic ultrasound
- Soft tissue ultrasound
- Musculotendinous ultrasound
- Thyroid, parathyroid
- Neck and ocular ultrasound
- Colour-flow doppler
- Fine needle aspiration and biopsy (hepatic biopsies, samples of abdominal, thoracic and any other masses)
Computed Tomography (CT) Scan
- Thorax – metastases checks, lung, pleural, mediastinal and extra-thoracic assessment, trauma
- Abdomen – metastases checks, intravenous urography, vascular assessment
- Head/Nasal cavities and sinuses
- Middle and inner ear
- Spine, intravenous contrast studies and CT myelography
- High resolution vascular studies for portosystemic shunts and others
- Joints and bones – visualization of medial coronoid disease of the elbows, assessment of incomplete ossification of the humeral condyles, fracture repair planning
- Musculotendinous system – e.g. calcification of the supraspinatus tendons
- MPR-multiplanar reconstruction
- CT reporting service
