Direct Imaging at the Animal Health Trust
At the AHT we offer a direct referral service for equine imaging to support the practicing veterinary surgeon. The service allows use of our state-of-the-art facilities, equipment and the interpretation skills of our world renowned veterinary surgeons and provides images you can use for diagnosis and treatment of your patient. Cases can be booked for imaging alone, allowing you as the veterinary surgeon to have continuity prior to and following referral of your case, and in most cases can be undertaken on an outpatient basis. A full report will be supplied to you within 24 hours of imaging and further guidance on diagnostic or management options can be given to you following imaging if this is requested.
In order to refer a case for direct imaging, please consult with one of our veterinary surgeons to discuss the suitability of the case, the imaging modality required, and whether any further diagnostic procedures may be needed.
Radiography
State of the art computed radiography is available for direct imaging. This newly updated and optimized system has ceiling mounted gantry system with mirroring, digitally angled plate holder and high exposure X-ray tube, so providing high quality, diagnostic images. We can provide you with high quality images of regions which may be difficult to obtain without a fixed system, such as the elbow, shoulder, stifle, hip, back, neck and head.
Scintigraphy
Our scintigraphic imaging can provide considerable information on type and activity of various musculoskeletal systems. Our skilled and experienced team are able to use modern, high quality cameras, collimators and analysis software to provide top quality images and interpretation for you. Flow, pool and bone phase images can be requested, or we can help advise you on the best type of images for us to acquire. Horses referred for this modality are usually admitted the day prior to imaging and discharged at 12pm the day following scintigraphic examination.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
MRI provides detailed information on both osseous and soft tissues within the limbs and head, and has revolutionized our understanding of foot pain and various more proximal orthopaedic problems. We are able to obtain high quality images of the limbs up to and including carpus and tarsus either standing or under general anaesthesia, and of the head under general anaesthesia. The AHT is unique in having both high and low field imaging available, either of which can be used for direct imaging. The MR imaging team are highly experienced at the difficult skills of image acquisition and interpretation, and are continually consulted about image acquisition and interpretation from other centres worldwide. MRI of the limbs is likely to be most useful for assisting lameness investigation, whereas MRI of the head can be useful for neurological disorders, visual problems, trauma, investigation of the extent of neoplastic problems or ear, nose and throat investigations. Patients can be seen on a day patient basis for standing MRI (dependent on travel time/distance), but those undergoing general anaesthesia will require an admission the day prior to, and discharge the day following imaging.
