As medical advances are being made for humans, the need for advanced medical care for our pets is becoming more common. Advanced imaging modalities used at Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists (PBVS), include digital radiography, ultrasonography, CT, and MRI. These advanced imaging technologies are superior at evaluating a pet’s anatomy without being invasive.

There are many indications for recommending advanced imaging. By utilizing the latest state-of-the-art technologies our veterinarians can view internal structures and quickly determine the best treatment for your pet. Advanced diagnostic imaging has been used in human diagnosis for decades, and now veterinarians are using this technology. The process allows a doctor to quickly and accurately diagnose conditions, without invasive surgery. These technologies provide more detailed images than some traditional diagnostic tests and conventional x-rays.

The advancement of digital radiography has pushed our veterinary imaging capabilities a quantum step forward in the way x-ray images are processed and viewed. The fast capture speeds and the elimination of film processing and handling, made our radiology service second to none. The image resolution was also greatly improved and the images can now be electronically transferred (via the internet) to our radiologist for expert interpretation. Today, your pet’s x-rays are completed very quickly and with a limited amount of stress on your pet.

Ultrasonography is also commonly used for imaging our patients. It uses ultrasonic sound waves to create images of internal structures based on the pattern of sound wave echoes reflected from the tissues and organs. A transducer is placed in contact with the animal. As the sound beam changes velocity while passing through tissues of varying density, echoes from those beams are recorded and measured. The machine then reconverts the echoes to electrical impulses recorded by the computer in the ultrasound machine. The computer is then able to create an image that represents the appearance of the structure, producing a real time image visible on a monitor.

In addition to digital radiography and ultrasonography we also offer specialized radiology services for cases requiring additional diagnostics. Both CT and MRI imaging have also become vital tools used by our doctors and specialists. 

• CT (Computerized Tomography) - utilizes X-rays to generate images, structures that are seen by conventional radiographs are also seen by CT, but these are viewed in greater detail and in two dimensional cross-sections. Also, as the computer technology has become more advanced, reconstructed computer data enables viewing of organs in three-dimensions. CT has been revolutionized by new developments in scanning. We now have the ability to scan quickly with the new spiral scanners and the capability to acquire very thin slices (high resolution CT).  With spiral CT scanners, an entire chest can be scanned during a single breath.

• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) uses a powerful magnetic field, radio frequency pulses and a computer to produce detailed pictures of organs, soft tissues, bone and virtually all other internal body structures. MRI does not use ionizing radiation (x-rays). Detailed images allow better evaluations of various parts of the body and certain diseases that may not be assessed adequately with other imaging methods such as x-ray, ultrasound or CT.
Recommendations for pursuing advanced imaging in our patients include additional evaluation of normal radiographic images, more detailed evaluation of abnormal findings on radiographic images, guidance for biopsy of internal structures, and mapping out the extent of a mass. To insure the best possible images your pet must be calm, relaxed and comfortable. Because your pet cannot be told to remain calm, the use of anesthesia, sedatives and analgesics (pain killers) to facilitate taking proper x-rays or advanced images may be used.   Imaging requires heavy sedation or anesthesia to ensure that there is no motion of the animal during the scan.  Due to faster imaging machines, the time required to obtain most images is just minutes and once the procedure is completed, the images can be transferred to a disk or sent electronically for immediate review.  Many of our specialists have been trained to interpret the findings of radiographs, ultrasound and cross-sectional imaging. In addition, board certified radiologists are available for advanced image reading.

Thankfully, recent advances in veterinary medicine have provided improved therapies, treatments and diagnostic alternatives. There are many similarities between human and veterinary medicine. If your pet is thought or known to have chronic or serious condition, a consultation with your regular veterinarian or one of our veterinary specialists can provide you with valuable information regarding treatment options and expectations.