New unit offers better MRI scans for animals

Dogs and cats in need of MRIs can now get quicker and better diagnostic images from Wisconsin’s only unit dedicated solely to animal use, located at UW–Madison’s School of Veterinary Medicine.

The recently acquired magnetic resonance imaging unit provides a wider variety of diagnostic options, and does so more reliably than the old unit. And, unlike the previous unit, this one can be serviced locally.

MRI scans, which are non-invasive, are best for viewing soft tissues. Veterinarians use them to detect abnormal tissue, which, if found, can pinpoint problems such as disk herniation, tumors, hydrocephalus, brain hemorrhage, stroke or infections or inflammations of the brain.

For the procedure, the sedated patients are wheeled out to the self-contained, trailer-based MRI located adjacent to the hospital. Once inside, cross-sectional images, or “slices,” of the patient’s brain, spinal segment or even eyeballs are taken.

The new unit also offers new diagnostic capabilities. It allows veterinarians to rule out certain types of tissue when they’re analyzing a scan, making diagnosis more precise.