CT has been used for many years in human medicine and has several advantages over conventional radiography as well as some over MRI. It has a wide range of applications which are listed below and can be performed under sedation in some cases.
The speed of image acquisition is much greater than that for MRI allowing images to be taken of
the chest and cranial abdomen.
Images from patients with significant chest pathology and hence dyspnoea may not be suitable for this imaging modality.
Contrast can be used to enhance structures with increased blood supply which can be particularly helpful when searching for metastatic disease.
The radiation dose of this process is considerable but rarely is this a consideration in our patients.
Cases that you might wish to consider for CT would include:
- Any oncological case that requires staging and to determine the extent of the primary tumour
- Abdominal and pelvic trauma
- Urinary incontinence
- Liver disease
- Thoracic masses
- Suspect bronchial foreign bodies
- Spinal disease particularly intervertebral disc disease
- Nasal disease
- Swelling to the head or neck
- Aural disease particularly when there is evidence of middle ear involvement
- Exophthalmos
- Elbow lameness particularly those suspected to be caused by FCP or HIF
- Shoulder lameness
- Some stifle diseases
- Suspected foreign bodies in the feet but also more generalised investigation of discharging sinuses etc.
There are many more applications of CT so please feel free to discuss the appropriateness of any condition with one of our veterinary team.
