MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is considered to be a safe medical imaging technique. It does not use ionizing radiation like X-rays or CT scans, which can potentially damage cells or DNA. Instead, MRI uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to generate images of the inside of the body. In veterinary medicine we must anesthetize the patient when scanning so that they remain completely still and properly positioned for the scan. Due to the small size of most veterinary patients, hypothermia is much more common during general anesthesia, however, industry wide we are receiving increased requests for information on patient heating and burn.
We are excited to welcome Dr. Hilary Shipley to the team here at AnimalScan Advanced Veterinary Imaging in Redwood City, CA! Dr. Shipley will take over as Medical Director and Anesthesiologist.
Selecting the best CT for your veterinary practice: Conebeam or Spiral CT?
As CT utilization increases in veterinary medicine there has been an increase in the imaging options offered on the veterinary market. Cone beam CT has become more popular in the human dental market because it offers faster image acquisition and less exposure to radiation. Human imaging vendors have tapped into opportunities in the veterinary market as an influx of these machines have come available on the second hand market in recent years. Both traditional CT and cone beam CT have their pros and cons in veterinary medicine. Because of this we recommend you speak with a veterinary imaging specialist or veterinary radiologist prior to making any decisions regarding the purchase or lease of CT in Veterinary Practice.
Veterinary MRI differs from human MRI in that nearly every patient must undergo general anesthesia during the scan. This requires specific "MRI Conditional" anesthesia equipment. Access to the following items is strongly encouraged by AnimalScan and our Board Certified Veterinary Anesthesiologists. Sourcing these items can prove to be somewhat challenging. For more help sourcing our preferred MRI conditional equipment contact an AnimalScan Representatitve.
