Imaging workshops Flashcards
What are the advantages and disadvantages of radiography?
Pros: Quick, widely available, good for bones & gas-filled structures
Cons: Limited soft tissue detail, radiation exposure, requires multiple views
What are the advantages and disadvantages of ultrasound?
Pros: No radiation, real-time imaging, great for soft tissues
Cons: Operator-dependent, limited in gas-filled structures, can’t see deep structures well
What are the advantages and disadvantages of CT?
Pros: Excellent detail, 3D imaging, good for bone & lung structures
Cons: Expensive, requires general anaesthesia, radiation exposure
What are the advantages and disadvantages of MRI?
Pros: Best for soft tissue (brain, spinal cord, muscles), no radiation
Cons: Very expensive, time-consuming, requires general anaesthesia
What are the advantages and disadvantages of endoscopy?
Pros: Direct visualisation, minimally invasive, can take biopsies
Cons: Expensive, requires sedation or anaesthesia, limited to hollow organs
A dog presents with a distended abdomen. What are some possible differential diagnoses?
Pregnancy
Pyometra
Ascites (fluid buildup)
Organomegaly (enlarged organs)
Gastric dilation-volvulus (GDV)
Which imaging modality is best for investigating a distended abdomen?
Radiography: Good for GDV, organ enlargement & gas patterns
Ultrasound: Best for fluid accumulation, pregnancy, pyometra
What can you see in this radiograph?
Poor serosal detail but there is evidence of abdominal fat ventrally
There is fat over lumber region
Liver is enlarged & caudal border is rounded in shape
There is pulmonary calcification
There is some calcinosis cutis within ventral abdominal skin
Femur is slightly osteopaenic
Stomach normal, caudal borders of both kidneys normal
Bladder outline is normal
These features are consistent with Cushing’s Disease
A cat was found after a suspected road traffic accident (RTA). He is dyspneic and painful over the hind legs. What imaging is recommended?
Thoracic radiographs (to check for pulmonary trauma, diaphragmatic hernia)
Pelvic radiographs (to assess fractures)
Assess this radiograph of a cat found after a suspected RTA. He is dyspneic & painful over hind legs
Unlabelled lateral radiograph of cat thorax & cranial abdomen
No fractures visible, trachea dorsally deviated, increased opacity of lung fields, cardiac silhouette obscured
Gas & ingesta filled intestines visible in thorax, can see where they cross the diaphragm (middle & dorsally)
Diagnosis: diaphragmatic hernia
Assess this radiograph of a cat
VD
Sacroiliac luxation of right side, with complete fracture of ilium of left side
No evidence of acetabular involvement but there is narrowing of the pelvic canal
A 2yo dog is vomiting after attending a BBQ. What imaging should be performed and is sedation required?
Radiographs to detect gastric FB
Ultrasound if FB isn’t radiodense
Sedation required for proper positioning to get orthogonal views
What can you see in this radiograph?
Right lateral abdomen of skeletally mature (female – no os penis visible) dog
Well positioned, collimated & centred appropriately, good exposure, labels & no artefacts - Is of diagnostic quality
Colon with normal faecal material, gas filled caecum, normal loops of gas filled small intestine – not distended
Urinary bladder & kidneys normal
Within stomach there is FB
Conclusion: Gastric FB
What are key factors to consider when choosing an imaging modality for an equine patient?
Availability & operator skill
Cost to client
Risk to animal & handlers
Impact of test results on treatment approach
Invasiveness vs non-invasiveness
A 25-year-old pony presents with 2/10 lameness at walk, worsening to 5/10 after distal limb flexion, with bony & soft tissue swelling in the pastern joint. What are the top diagnostic tests?
Radiography (assess bone & joint changes)
Ultrasound (evaluate soft tissue structures)
What radiographic views are used for assessing pastern swelling?
Dorsopalmar
Dorsolateral-palmaromedial oblique
Lateromedial
25 year old pony is 2/10th lame on its left fore at walk, which increases to 5/10th when distal limb is flexed. There is bony & soft tissue swelling localised around pastern region joint
Describe what you can see on your images
Images clear, with proper exposure, centering & collimation
No artefacts & all images are correctly labeled except dorsopalmar view
Bone fragment visible on dorsomedial aspect of proximal interphalangeal joint
Bone irregularity on dorsolateral edges of P1 & P2, along with new bone formation (osteophytes), which suggests degenerative joint disease process
What radiographic views are essential for a suspected cannon bone fracture?
Lateromedial
Dorsopalmar
Dorsolateral-palmaromedial oblique (DLPMO)
Dorsomedial-palmarolateral oblique (DMPLO)
What can you see in this radiograph of a horse thats been kicked in the field?
Good exposure, centred over kick wound, well collimated, no labels, no artefacts, positioned well
Small area of radiolucency within medullary region of proximal M3
Complete fracture of proximal M4, incomplete fracture of proximal M3
An 8-year-old horse recently purchased develops unilateral nasal discharge, with no other horses affected. What imaging should be prioritised?
Endoscopy of guttural pouch (assess drainage & lesions)
Radiographs of caudal head (assess sinuses & guttural pouch)
What can you see in this laterolateral radiograph of caudal head of 8-year-old horse with unilateral nasal discharge
Soft tissue opacity over area of guttural pouch
Clear radiolucent line suggesting fluid in pouch
Pharynx has been displaced cranially
Label the transverse and longitudinal ultrasound image of the proximal palmar metacarpal region
What can you see in this lateral radiograph?
What is your diagnosis?
Why would an ultrasound not be helpful in this case?
Case:
Anorexic rabbit with large lump on lower jaw. On dental exam you find some lower molar spurs. On abdominal palpation abdomen is tense with generalised pain
Large accumulation of gas in intestines which is generalised. Stomach is full of ingesta, no gas build up in stomach itself
Gut stasis
Too much gas in intestines, so there will be poor visualisation using ultrasound
What pathology can you see in the lateral skull radiograph?
What additional radiographic views do you need in order to fully assess the teeth in this rabbit?
What other imaging modality would help you with this case?
Case:
Anorexic rabbit with large lump on lower jaw. On dental exam you find some lower molar spurs. On abdominal palpation abdomen is tense with generalised pain
Large soft tissue swelling under mandible
Bony proliferation of ventral mandible present
1st pre-molar has intact & visible periodontal ligament, so root is unaffected
2nd pre-molar has no visible root/no periodontal ligament visible, so this is likely to be initial tooth root infected that has caused dental abscess
1st & 2nd molars have some mild radiolucent changes, likely secondary involvement in abscess
Dorsoventral, right & left 40˚ obliques
CT
You perform an ultrasound via the pre-femoral fossa and this is the image that you obtain.
What is your diagnosis?
Case:
40-year-old female Hermann’s tortoise presents with 3-week history of anorexia & lethargy. In the last few days her hind legs have appeared weak.
Clinical Exam:
Delayed withdrawal reflexes in both hind limbs, slight dehydration (sunken eyes). Rest of clinical exam unremarkable.
Pre-Ovulatory Follicular Stasis (POOS)
In reptiles, metabolic bone disease is a common presenting and incidental finding on radiographs. If you were to radiograph a lizard, explain what part of a dorsoventral radiograph would help you diagnose this condition.
Look at bone density, particularly distal limbs. If you can’t see lizards digits & settings are correct, this is diagnostic.
Spine & more central bones are only effected if incredibly severe
Also look for bone shape deformities & evidence of pathological fractures
Label the avian radiograph
1 lungs
2 heart
3 liver with proventriculus underneath
4 ventriculus
5 intestinal loops
Label the avian radiograph
1 lungs
2 heart
3 liver
4 ventriculus
5 intestinal loops
6 proventriculus
7 spleen
8 kidney
9 gonad
A. lung
B. heart
C. air sac
What are these pointing at?
A. diseased lung
B. Abnormal thickening, growth or plaque
How can you restrain an uncooperative cat for x-rays?
Chemical
- a2 agonists, ketamine, opioid, acepromazine, BZD
Physical
- Crush cage, muzzle, blanket
