Visiting CT Service

The Rowe Veterinary Hospital in Bradley Stoke, Bristol is delighted to announce the launch of a new visiting CT service. This is the latest addition to facilities available at the hospital and will support the already established MRI service. Initially operating on a monthly basis the service will to tailored to meet demand.

The CT scanner, an advanced system utilising the latest 4 slice "multislice" technology, is housed in a custom built trailer and will be parked alongside the hospital during the scanning session. The scanner is also provided with highly trained radiographic staff who will work closely with the hospital to provide a quality cross sectional imaging service.

The multislcie technology and upgraded software packages enable the scanner to obtain a volume of high resolution data that can be reconstructed in virtually any plane, minimising the positioning subjectivity of plain radiographs and making this a reliable tool for sequential reviewing of pathologies. In addition the speed of the scans is vastly increased, when compared to single slice CT scanning, thus reducing the length of time animals are under sedation or anaesthetic.

In musculo-skeletal imaging, veterinary CT has been shown to demonstrate more signs of elbow incongruity than other forms of imaging technique. Its use in providing an accurate diagnosis of elbow dysplasia is likely to increase with increased accessibility as it is highly sensitive to subtle changes within the bone structure. A more accurate diagnosis will obviously enable a tailored treatment plan and hopefully improved prognosis. CT is also useful in the evaluation of fractures and their union and alignment and can also be used in the assessment of the TML and caudal mandibles.

Another advantage of cross sectional imaging with CT is the demonstration of areas not visualised with other imaging modalities. Tumours of the brain, nasal cavities, maxilla, abdomen and skeleton can all be visualised with increased accuracy. Pancreatic and adrenal tumours are difficult to identify using ultrasound, however the 3D capabilities of CT enable the full extent of the disease to be demonstrated.

Neurological CT is also well established in areas where CT is readily available. In cases where animals present with neurological symptoms, yet the laboratory tests show no abnormal signs, CT can demonstrate lesions of haemorrhage or hydrocephalus, which may prove lifesaving.

If there are any particular cases where you are unsure of the benefit of CT scanning, please do not hesitate to contact Richard Rowe at the Bradley Stoke Hospital or Mark Owen, who has his own dedicated referral service based full time at the same hospital.

Dates as follows:

• 18th December 2003
• 15th January 2004
• 12th February 2004
• 12th March 2004

On 12th February we shall be having an Open Evening and giving vets the opportunity to look around the CT truck.