Veterinary MRI Safety

Safety in Veterinary MRI

Veterinary MRI safety is a priority at AnimalScan. MRI is a safe diagnostic procedure. Because it uses magnetic field and radiowaves it offers no harmful effects. In veterinary medicine we cannot simply instruct our patients to “be still,” throughout the scanning process.  For this reason we must place them under general anesthesia to complete the scan with minimal artifacts. 

General Anesthesia

Certain diseases and conditions can increase anesthetic risk.  For this reason AnimalScan may require your referring veterinarian to complete a full work-up, which includes bloodwork and sometimes additional diagnostics such as a chest x-rays, abdominal ultrasound, or echocardiogram prior to scheduling your appointment.  For more information on scheduling an outpatient MRI please call your nearest AnimalScan to consult with or patient coordinator. 

Special “MRI Conditional” Equipment

The MRI in AnimalScan facilities are often High-field magnets. For this reason Veterinary MRI requires veterinary specific MR conditional anesthesia equipment. This includes ventilators, Invivo monitors, and IV pumps.  Staff are specially trained to operate the equipment safely around your pet during the MRI scan. AnimalScan CEO, Jim Stuppino, describes the importance on MRI safety in veterinary medicine in this video. If you are a veterinarian in need of this equipment you can reach out to our sales team to get more information. 

https://youtu.be/d4DQ5EVw7Qw