Recent years have witnessed a substantial increase in the use of imaging and therapeutic radiology procedures. Contributing to this trend has included dramatic technologic advances, expanding applications in clinical medicine, improving economy, and increasing reliance on high technology.

Traditionally, imaging has been separated into two distinct areas: 1) functional, and 2) structural imaging. Applications of functional imaging includes nuclear medicine such as SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) and PET (positron emission tomography), and MRS (magnetic resonance spectroscopy). Applications in structural (i.e., anatomical) imaging includes planar radiography, CT (x-ray computed tomography), and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Distinctions between these modalities and applications have begun to converge with the development of multi-modality (SPECT/CT, PET/CT) scanners.

Particularly in relation to veterinary medicine, advances in CT, MRI, and echocardiography are increasingly relevant. For example, CT is significantly more sensitive for detecting soft-tissue masses than thoracic radiographs. MRI can detect and reveal the presence and distribution of myocardial fat and thus help diagnosis and follow specific forms of heart muscle diseases. Improvements in basic echocardiographic instruments including off line data assessments have markedly expanded the utility of this modality. Furthermore, enhancements in three-dimensional echocardiographic imaging has now made this technique useful for evaluating certain acquired and congenital diseases. Moreover, quantitative tissue Doppler examinations including strain rate imaging can contribute to assessment of myocardial performance.

References

1.  Chrysanthopoulou A, Kalogeropoulos A, Terzis G, et al. Trends and future needs in clinical radiology: Insights from an academic medical center. 2006 Apr 17; [Epub ahead of print]

2.  Bailey DL. Imaging the airways in 2006. J Aerosol Med. 2006 19: 1-7

3.  Nemanic S, London CA, Wisner ER. Comparison of thoracic radiographs and single breath-hold-helical CT for detection of pulmonary nodules in dogs with metastatic neoplasia. J Vet Int Med 2006; 20: 508-515

4.  Vitarelli A, Montesano T, Gaudio C, et al. Strain rate dobutamine echocardiography for prediction of recovery after revascularization in patients with ischemic left ventricular dysfunction. J Card Fail. 2006 May; 12(4): 268-75