Today's Veterinary Practice provides comprehensive information to keep every small animal practitioner up to date on companion animal medicine and surgery as well as practice building and management.
IMAGING ESSENTIALS
PEER REVIEWED
Small Animal PELVIC Radiography
Danielle Mauragis, CVT;
David J. Reese, DVM, Diplomate ACVR; and Clifford R. Berry, DVM, Diplomate ACVR
This is the third article in our Imaging Essentials series—a series focused on providing critical information on radiography of the dog and cat. Read the first two articles, Small Animal Thoracic Radiography (September/October 2011) and Small Animal Abdominal Radiography (November/December 2011), at todaysveterinarypractice.com.
T 48
he purpose of this article is to review the three basic components of creating high-quality pelvic radiographs of the dog and cat, including positioning, technique, and quality control of the final images. Pelvic radiographs are used in: UÊ >ÃiÃÊovÊÌÀ>Õm> UÊ Û>lÕ>ÌionÊovÊl>miniÃà UÊ Û>lÕ>ÌionÊovÊVon}iniÌ>lÊ`iÃoÀ`iÀÃÊi}]Êhi«Ê`Þël>Ãi>®°ÊÊ
PELVIC RADIOGRAPHIC EXPOSURE oÀÊ>nÞÊ`o}Êmi>ÃÕÀin}Ê£xÊVmÊoÀÊ}Ài>ÌiÀÊmi>ÃÕÀi`Ê>ÌÊÌhiÊili>VÊVÀiÃÌ®]Ê>Ê}Ài`Ên\£]Ê££äÊ liniÃÊ«iÀÊinVh®ÊÃhoÕl`ÊLiÊÕÃi`°Ê
Ài`ÃÊ>ÀiÊ>Û>il>LliÊvÀomÊmoÃÌÊÀ>`iolo}ÞÊm>nÕv>VÌÕÀiÀÃÊ
and a grid tray comes with all radiology units. The techniques for the ventrodorsal and lateral radiographic projections of the pelvis are the same. For dogs measuring liÃÃÊÌh>nÊ£xÊVmÊoÀÊV>ÌÃ]Ê>ÊÌ>LliÌo«ÊÌiVhniµÕiÊiÃÊ«ÀiviÀÀi`ÊnoÊ}Ài`®° If using direct or indirect digital radiography, then the imaging receptor remains
fixed in the grid cabinet or within the table. If using a computed radiography system, the casette and imaging plate can be used in a tabletop fashion, similar to film screen combinations.
Today's Veterinary Practice January/February 2012