Veterinary Imaging Centre

Veterinary Imaging Centre2021-10-15T00:01:53+08:00

Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Service

We provide high quality veterinary medical imaging for our patients and referring veterinarians throughout Perth.

PVS is home to some of the most sophisticated diagnostic imaging modalities in veterinary medicine. Our diagnostic imaging suite includes Diagnostic ultrasound, digital radiography, CT Scan and MRI.

Our highly qualified Imaging Specialists, Radiologists and Support Staff work daily to ensure that our patients receive the highest level of care.

What our specialist advanced diagnostic imaging team can help you with

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scanning) uses a magnetic field and radio frequency waves to examine the soft tissues of the nervous system (brain and spinal cord). It is very safe – no ionizing radiation is used. Because of the outstanding soft tissue contrast resolution produced, MRI can provide much more detail about disease in these regions than a CT scan can, however it takes longer to perform an MRI (usually about an hour) – general anesthesia is essential. Common reasons for an MRI scan include:

  • Assessment of brain disease – seizures, changes in behaviour, blindness, head tilt
  • Assessment of spinal cord disease – paralysis, paresis, back and neck pain, altered gait

CT

Computed tomography (CT-scan) provides a non-invasive way of rapidly imaging large regions of the body in great detail. It provides information about all of the internal organs, including those that are gas-filled (lung, gastrointestinal tract) and those that are mostly soft tissues. Bony structures are also imaged in detail, including bones with a complex shape such as the skull, spine, pelvis and elbow joints. A CT scan is very quick, so the examination time is short, however it is necessary that the patient remain still during the procedure, so a brief period of general anaesthesia is required. Common reasons for CT scanning include:

  • Elbow dysplasia and other developmental orthopaedic disease
  • Assessment of bony trauma for surgical planning
  • Spinal cord disease, including paresis, paralysis, altered gait
  • Assessment and staging of cancer or other masses in the lungs, mediastinum, pleural space, thoracic wall, abdomen, retroperitoneal space and pelvic canal
  • Diseases of the head or neck – nasal and oral cavities, retrobulbar space, middle ear, brain, thyroid, stick foreign bodies
  • Characterization of congenital disease such as portosystemic shunts or urinary tract abnormalities

Ultrasound

Ultrasound is a painless, non-invasive procedure that uses sound waves to produce an image of organs and other structures in the body. It is an excellent way of visualizing internal organs and structures that are soft tissue (such as the liver and spleen) or fluid-filled (such as the bladder), as well as moving structures such as the heart. Mineralized structures (bones) or air-filled organs (such as the lungs) cannot generally be evaluated. Ultrasound also provides an opportunity to obtain fine needle aspiration or biopsy samples for cytological or histopathological analysis – in many cases this is the least invasive method to reach a diagnosis. Common indications for abdominal ultrasound include:

  • Vomiting, inappetence, weight loss, lethargy
  • Assessment of abdominal masses or fluid accumulation
  • Drinking a lot / urinating a lot
  • Pregnancy evaluation

Common indications for cardiac ultrasound include:

  • Assessment for congenital heart disease in young animals
  • Assessment of acquired heart disease in older patients
  • Assessment of pericardial effusions

Common indications for (non-cardiac) thoracic ultrasound include:

  • Evaluation of pleural effusions
  • Evaluation of mediastinal masses
  • Evaluation of large lung masses

Digital X-Ray

Radiography is a simple, non-invasive procedure that uses x-rays to produce images of region of the body such as the skeleton, thorax and abdomen. Radiographs often complement the information provided by a cardiac or abdominal ultrasound examination. Common indications for x-rays include:

  • Thorax – heart problems, coughing or trouble breathing
  • Abdomen – vomiting or regurgitation, abdominal pain, weight loss or gain
  • Orthopaedic – lameness evaluation (fractures, osteoarthritis, juvenile bone disease, bone cancer etc.)
  • Detection of cancer, or cancer spread
  • Screening for hip and elbow dysplasia

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