Veterinary Digital X-Rays/Radiography
After your pet has an initial wellness exam, your veterinarian may need to take a closer look at what may be troubling your pet. Veterinary digital X-rays allow our veterinarians to see immediate and detailed images of internal organs, tissue, and bone beneath your pet’s skin.
Why your veterinarian may request an X-ray exam:
- Diagnose broken bones and muscle disorders
- View size, shape, and placement of organs
- Examine tumors and other areas of interest
- Abdominal X-rays
- Chest X-rays
- Dental X-rays
- Spinal X-rays
State-Of-The-Art Technology
At Metrovet, we chose a state-of-the-art digital Veterinary X-ray machine by Summit Innovet that is built locally in Chicago. Using this technology, we can diagnose a wide range of medical conditions quickly and accurately. These images are displayed on a computer and can be saved for your home medical records or emailed between veterinary specialists. Digital X-rays also eliminate the need for toxic developing chemicals decreasing the risk of exposure to our veterinarians and your pet.
Our professional staff is committed to providing your pet with quality care. Based on your veterinarian’s recommendations, he may want to pursue additional diagnostic testing such as ultrasound, CT, or MRI.
As technology leads us into the future and improves our lives, diagnostic imaging is no exception. Digital radiology gives our practice the ability to diagnose conditions almost on the spot. This allows us to treat conditions faster and more effectively.
In the old days, a technician spent a considerable amount of time carefully positioning the x-ray machine and the pet to get just the right view of the area to be diagnosed. The x-ray films were then processed through a lab and sent back to our practice for viewing. A light box was necessary to view the films and we had only the naked eye to examine them. If perhaps the image was poor or blurry, we retook the x-rays and the whole process began again.
With today’s most current digital radiography, our practice takes the x-ray image on advanced machinery which sends it directly to digital x-ray sensors for storage and display on a computer. There is no lag time and no waiting for films to process at a separate lab. This means if the exposure is poor or if Fluffy moved a little bit, we can see the flaws immediately and retake the x-ray right then and there. We can also share the image digitally instead of sending large films out through the mail.
Like most digital images, our practice can easily enhance the digital x-ray image on the computer. We can zoom in, or change the contrast and brightness for better viewing. Plus a digital x-ray technology creates a much clearer and detailed image than traditional x-rays. In identifying and analyzing changes of an ongoing condition that requires a series of images, our practice can utilize computer programs to assist us.
Our practice uses digital radiology both for dental purposes and for your pet’s whole body. Dental digital radiology allows our practice to view the internal anatomy of the teeth including the roots and surrounding bone. In the rest of your pet’s body, digital x-rays can help us identify a fractured bone, or degeneration in a joint as well as sometimes identify foreign objects inside your pet’s body. An added bonus to digital radiology is the fact that it emits less radiation than traditional radiology.