Diagnostic imaging suite

The diagnostic imaging service benefits from having world-class imagers and facilities to support our medical and surgical teams. The vet hospital is one of the best equipped anywhere in the world, and has its own in-house high-field Tesla MRI scanner. This advanced unit allows very high-resolution images to be obtained of the brain and spinal cord as well as other soft tissues such as muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments. Patients of all sizes can be assessed (unlike those supported by fixed-magnet scanners). The 84-slice helical CT scanner is particularly useful for assessing diseases of the nose, skull, skeleton, chest and abdomen.

Our veterinary hospital was the first in the UK to have these specialist units onsite, giving us extensive experience and knowledge in this type of imaging.

In addition to the MRI and CT units, we have two ceiling-mounted Siemens Multix Tops X-ray machines and a separate image-intensifier (a fluoroscope). The latter helps us to visualise anatomical fields for minimally-invasive surgical procedures such as cardiac pacemaker implantation and some orthopaedic (bone and joint) operations.

We have an advanced digital ultrasound machine, the GE Healthcare Logic 7, which is used in the investigation of abdominal and other soft tissue abnormalities. Minimally-invasive ultrasound-guided biopsy is routinely performed to assist in diagnosis. The hospital also has a GE Vivid 7 colour flow echocardiography machine to assist in the investigation of cardiac (heart) disease, as well as a separate high-quality 2-D ultrasound.