Radiographs (X-rays)
October 1, 2016Radiographs, commonly referred to as x-rays, are taken of all body parts to survey changes that may be present in bone or soft tissues. This imaging tool is employed by all the different services – whether the patient is seen by emergency, surgery, neurology, cardiology, etc. Radiographs of other regions of the body are commonly performed prior to anesthesia for neurological testing to ensure your pet does not have concurrent diseases, such as pneumonia or heart disease.
Pelvic radiograph of a dog with healed acetabular fractures (broken hip socket – left side) sustained after being hit by a car.
In neurology, radiographs are typically taken to rule out bone abnormalities, such as diskospondylitis (infection of the disc and surrounding bone, Figure 1), fracture or luxation (Figure 2), and bone tumors. The spinal cord, brain, and discs are not visible on radiographs.
All images are interpreted by one of our board-certified radiologists.