Advanced Imaging & Labs
Digital Imaging at TrueCare for pets
When your pet experiences a sudden health crisis, they can receive a prompt, accurate diagnosis from experienced emergency veterinarians in Studio City, Los Angeles. Our 24-hour, 7-day-a-week specialty and emergency veterinary hospital utilizes state-of-the-art diagnostic tools, including digital radiology and computed tomography (CAT scan), to find out exactly what’s wrong as quickly as possible so we can provide the necessary treatment.
Radiology involves the interpretation of radiographic images. These images are made by passing X-rays through an animal’s tissues. The X-rays tend to pass completely through thinner, less dense tissues, such as skin, while reflecting off of more solid structures such as bones. The variations in tissue density give our doctors a detailed picture of your pet’s interior anatomy. If a fracture is present, for example, the break may appear as a line or gap between the two pieces of bone.
But while many people associate X-ray imaging solely with fracture diagnosis, sensitive modern radiographic devices can also reveal problems in the heart, lungs, and other organs. Urinary bladder stones may show up clearly as lighter or darker spots within the urinary structures on an abdominal radiograph. Gastric dilatation volvulus, a potentially fatal twisting of the stomach, can be accurately and rapidly observed.
In more complex cases, CT scan provides a detailed, 3-dimensional viewing of your pet’s interior anatomy utilizing the same X-ray technology. Skull CT imaging may reveal dental disease, sinus disease, and maxillofacial trauma that can cause intense oral or facial pain. Thoracic CT can delineate lung tumors and allow for surgical planning. Spinal CT with contrast administration allows for immediate spinal surgery intervention in cases of paralysis due to disc herniation.
Since many of these conditions require immediate treatment, diagnostic imaging is typically one of the first tasks our specialty and emergency veterinarians perform when confronted with a veterinary emergency.
Our Specialty and Emergency hospital Is Ready to Diagnose Your Emergency
Digital radiography is a fast process that poses less discomfort for your pet under minimal to no sedation while also exposing them to less radiation. Once the digital image is captured, it is ready for viewing immediately, with no time lost to film processing. Not only is your pet’s radiographs or CT scan evaluated by our experienced veterinarians, but the images are also interpreted by an off-site board-certified small animal veterinary Radiologist electronically. Digital radiography and CT scanning is available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, regardless of holidays! Interpretation with a Radiologist follows the same schedule and the turn-around time is less than a couple of hours!
Keep the phone number and directions to our hospital in a handy place. If unexpected trauma or illness strikes, you’ll be ready to rush your pet to our state-of-the-art 3,000 sq. foot facility. As quick and convenient as digital radiographic and CT techniques may be, the sooner we can collect those images, the better. Call our veterinary staff at TrueCare for pets in Studio City, Los Angeles at (818) 760-3882 to learn more about how we save the lives of your pets.