Radiology

The Veterinary Practice Des Plaines-du-Loup is equipped with a digital radiology installation. Compared with what is termed conventional chromatic radiology, digital radiology has the following advantages:

Advantages

  • Faster diagnosis: immediate availability of digital images on the computer control screen
  • More accurate diagnosis: better resolution of X-ray images. The computer image obtained allows zooming, adjusting brightness, or even adjusting contrasts, all of which contribute considerably to the development of a sharper and better quality image.
  • Less radiation exposure for the patient: 75% decrease in exposure of the patient and the veterinary team to radiation
  • Easier storage and conservation of radiological images: immediate availability of digital X-ray images are considerable time savers, and legibility problems, loss, or deterioration of radiography films are therefore avoided. 
  • Easy communication of results: sending X-ray images by email also facilitates communication with the owner or referring veterinarian.
  • Clean technology: since the chemical waste used in the development of the colour films was harmful to the environment.

Various Diagnoses

Radiology can be used to refine many diagnoses. 

In the case of thoracic pathologies, pleural or pericardial effusions, pulmonary oedema or mediastinal tumors have to be considered among others.

For abdominal pathologies, the radiograph is very useful to see urinary stones, dilatation-torsions of the stomach, etc.

And, of course, in all bone pathologies, radiography remains the imaging of choice, for example in the case of fractures, including for the monitoring of their healing, or in the case of bone tumors.

Radiographie de l'ostéosynthèse d'un fémur fracturé

OFFICIAL SCREENING FOR DYSPLASIA 
(elbows and hips)

Dysplasia of the hips and elbows are  joints deformities, which cause joint instability and subsequent development of osteoarthritis. This disease is hereditary in character and early diagnosis is strongly recommended in predisposed breeds: Labrador, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, Newfoundland, Bernese Mountain Dog, Rottweiler and St Bernard, etc.

This diagnosis is carried out under anesthesia and consists of a series of standardized X-rays being analyzed by the university committee (Zurich or Bern) that will permit an estimate of the severity of dysplasia (Grade A to E).      

Radiographie des hanches sans et avec dysplasie