Veterinary Hospital installs new high strength MRI
30 October 2009
The University of Melbourne Veterinary Hospital is installing Victoria’s first 1.5 Tesla MRI dedicated to veterinary patients, due for completion in late 2009.
The high magnetic field strength MRI allows
for more MR signal to be generated for each
volume of tissue imaged. This provides
clinicians with a range of benefits including
superior image quality, higher resolution
images, thinner slices and the ability to
see histological levels of detail. This also
means scanning and anaesthesia time is
significantly reduced.
The new MRI complements the extensive imaging facilities available at the Hospital, including digital radiography, advanced ultrasound capabilities, computed tomography and nuclear scintigraphy. The presence of state-of-the-art imaging equipment, however, is not complete without a team of dedicated Veterinary Radiologists who focus on using this equipment to its highest level, producing top quality diagnostic studies.
The Hospital’s radiology team work closely with Hospital clinicians such as Dr Sam Long, specialist Veterinary Neurologist and Neurosurgeon, and Dr Chris Whitton, internal medicine specialist, to pursue the diagnostic investigation of many conditions.
The new MRI also enables the Hospital to conduct research into the white-matter tracts in the brain of dogs with degenerative myelopathy and sub-chondral bone injury in performance horses, and evaluate the cardiovascular system using cardiac MRI.
High-field MRI is particularly valuable for
investigating diseases of the brain and
spinal cord, since it allows the accurate
visualisation and characterisation of
conditions such as tumours, inflammatory
brain diseases and intervertebral disc
extrusions. It has also led to an increase in
our ability to diagnose vascular events such
as infarcts, thanks to its ability to perform
virtual angiography.
The MRI requires a specific environment and purpose-built building which is currently under construction. The commencement of our new on-site MRI service will be announced shortly.
For further information please contact Hinalei Johnston, Marketing Manager, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne, Tel: 8344 7844 or email: h.johnston@unimelb.edu.au