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quire accurate information about thickness of the
soft tissue.
MRI will always be better for precise imaging of
the brain, as its possible see much more subtle tu-
mours, and to better visualise inflammatory chang-
es. This said, a well performed CT head, done with
and without contrast agent can be very helpful if
MRI is not an option.
Thorax
Whilst thoracic radiographs are a quick and easy
way to visualise inside the thorax, a CT scan can
provide so much more information. Especially as
one weakness of all radiographs is that they are try-
ing to visualise a 3D structure on a 2D image. This
can cause major issues with superimposition, espe-
cially leading to the risk of pathology being hidden
by the heart.
CT: Canine Abdomen
If you are looking for secondary tumours the sensi-
tivity of CT compared to a plain thoracic radiograph
is so much better- down to close to 1mm com-
pared to 1cm.
When looking at any thoracic pathology, from
pneumonia through to deciding whether an object
is a tumour, node or cyst, CT is would allow for
greater diagnostic interpretation of your image.
For assessment of multiple thoracic fractures, CT
is amazing as you can see where every piece of
bone is, in direct relationship to all the organs- but
you need to consider if the animal is stable enough
for a CT at this point, as unlike humans you cannot
just ask for breath holds, so a GA is needed for high
quality thoracic CT scans.
Abdomen
For accurate staging of abdominal masses CT is truly
unique in the image quality definition, and by watch-
ing how a mass uptakes contrast agent you can often
work out the type of mass - helping you decide if sur-
gery is an option. Contrast will also allow you to accu-
rately work out what other organs have been invaded.
Tumours react differently to contrast agent, and you
can get a good idea about vascularity, which can be
vital to know prior to surgery. The sensitivity of CT to
pick up additional tumours is helpful in staging. When
looking at a prostate mass you can see accurately
whether it has invaded neighbouring tissues.
As with thoracic scanning, you most likely need a GA
to get the best CT abdomen images, as you need to
be able to control the patient’s respiration, and an ul-
trasound may be the better option at this point if the
patient is not in a stable condition.
Contrast Agent
Contrast agent is very useful for CT scanning, as it can
tell you so much about the type of mass that you are
looking at.
It is important to use the correct dose- which is nor-
mally 2mls per kg (but can vary, so always read the
dosage advice). If you are planning to use contrast you
MUST do a pre-contrast scan, as without this you can-
not check for uptake.
CT: Thorax
If you are using a conventional CT scanner and you
are looking for arterial and venous phased imaging,
you will need to use a Contrast Injector pump, as it’s
not physically possible to inject the contrast manually
as fast as is required. If you are not looking to show
arterial phase, you can manage without a pump, but
its hard work!
Issue 03 | JUNE 2017 | 23