Testimonials
"Thank you for being so pleasant and helpful. We can't believe how kind you are to your patients. Our pet traveled much more comfortably with the pain medicine. She had ventral slot decompression in July. Now, she is off "house arrest" and is so much happier around here!"
"Thank you for you time and patience in working with my pet during his recent MRI. As you can imagine, I was very nervous about the MRI and you made me feel at ease. It really meant a lot to me to be able to stay with my dog until he fell asleep and to be there when he awoke. You treated him with great care and compassion, which means more to me than you will ever know. He is not just a dog to me, but rather my little boy. You made a difficult time for us much easier."
"I really appreciate all your help with the turkeys - Many Thanks"
"Nothing has improved visualization of the body as much as the newest arrival, magnetic resonance imaging."
"If it wasn't for MRI we wouldn't have known what was going on."
"Determining exact cause and location [of the problem] often requires more advance diagnostics, such as MRI imaging."
"As treatments can vary dramatically, from medicines to radiation therapy to surgery, and even the various treatments having their own risks, it is important that I have the most accurate information possible."
"MRI imaging is, in the majority of cases, the most important tool to achieve that aim."
"Many of our neurosurgical (and orthopedic) patients now benefit from MR imaging rather than myelography, as the studies are more precise and informative. We place great confidence in the expertise of the AnimalScan staff and we experience excellent communication with their radiologists, Drs. Donald Thrall and Ian Robertson."- AnimalScan, Raleigh, North Carolina.
"While radiographs and computed tomography are excellent for the visualization of skeletal structures, and ultrasonography is equally well adapted for soft tissues, only magnetic resonance imaging offers the ability to see both osseous and soft tissues at the same time with the degree of clarity, contrast, and resolution available with MRI."
The Gabe Story
Rick Yount has seen the importance of the human-animal bond because he has worked for years training assistance dogs. Beyond simple companionship, people rely on these working dogs for the demands of everyday living that can include anything from opening doors to fetching keys and medicine or dialing emergency numbers to summon medical treatment. Rick just wasn't prepared for the day when his dog, a 7-year-old go lden retriever named Gabe, needed assistance. Gabe couldn't stand up. In obvious pain, the dog's rear legs weren't functioning, and he was partially paralyzed from the lower spine to the hind end.
"It was terrifying to see, and the veterinarian's x-rays were inconclusive," Yount said.
Fears of tumors or spine damage were part of the fuzzy diagnosis, but the only way to know for sure was to look inside. In many situations, that means exploratory surgery. Gabe's veterinarian offered a non-invasive alternative, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan from AnimalScan near Washington, D.C.
The short procedure revealed that Gabe was suffering from an aggressive infection. After treatment with intravenous antibiotics, he was cured and back to his assistance dog training duties within days.
"Surgery is always a risk, and MRI at AnimalScan provided the same look inside Gabe's body that made his treatment possible. Gabe is a very important dog, both as my companion and as a working dog. When it comes to healthcare, he deserves the best."
Gabe's important work continues, and he has added to his resume after Rick moved to Santa Rosa, California, to become a trainer at the Assistance Dog Institute where he helps train the assistance dogs, the trainers and the people who partner with these dogs. Gabe has served as the sire for several liters who will serve as the next generation of assistance dogs for those in need.
Rookie the Hero
Rookie is a search and rescue dog who participated in the World Trade Center rescue effort. While there, this heroic German Shepherd may have been exposed to carcinogens. Afterwards, Rookie became seriously ill and developed a mysterious spot on his gums. After receiving an X-ray, which did not lead to a clear diagnosis, Rookie was referred to AnimalScan for an MRI.
His owner, Officer Guererro, brought Rookie to AnimalScan for an MRI. Because MRI uses magnetic energy and radio waves to create detailed images of bone and body tissues, it can reveal information that X-rays do not show. It is also Painless, non-invasive and does not expose animals to radiation.
The MRI clearly revealed a mass in Rookie's jaw and a veterinary surgeon was able to successfully remove the tumor. Just a few weeks later, Rookie was back on the job.
Rookie is a wonderful example of how, working together with your veterinarian, we can help bring your companion back to his old self and to his old place - by your side.
"If it wasn't for that MRI, we never would have known what was going on with Rookie or be able to find the source of the problem. I consider myself just as lucky and grateful as Rookie."- Rookie's K-9 unit partner and owner, Officer Guererro
Mike Knoeckel
I'm a veterinary neurologist/neurosurgeon at Southpaws Veterinary Specialty Hospital in the Washington DC area.
In my practice, I primarily work with dogs and cats with brain or spinal disease. Most frequently I am dealing with herniated discs or tumors.
In my exam room I can determine whether an animal has neurological disease and its approximate location and the probable cause with a high degree of certainty. However, determining exact cause and location often requires more advance diagnostics, such as MR imaging.
As treatments can vary dramatically, from medicines to radiation therapy to surgery, and even the various treatments having their own risks, it is important that I have the most accurate information possible.
MR imaging is, in the majority of cases, the most important tool to achieve that aim.
AnimalScan provides me that tool and more. Before AnimalScan was set up in my area, I was required to use human MRI facilities in the middle of the night, or older, mobile units which did not give the best images. At these facilities, I had to provide the anesthesia with the equipment we could transport there as well as direct the MR technologist on the differences of scanning a person versus a dog or cat. This would result in less then ideal anesthesia and imaging.
At AnimalScan, the anesthesia is run by a board certified anesthesiologist with all the drugs and equipment you would find at an advanced hospital. This dramatically increases the safety of the anesthesia so that I don't feel the anesthesia is a significant risk, probably less so then driving to the hospital.
Also, the technologist at AnimalScan is experienced in MRI and has had additional training in the special requirements of imaging dogs and cats. This results in much better imaging and so is much more likely to help me reach my final diagnosis and choose the most effective therapy.
With the introduction of AnimalScan, I have ready, daily access to a state-of-the-art MRI machine supported by a board-certified anesthesiologist and a well trained technologist. This guarantees me the best imaging possible. This has dramatically improved my goal of getting the most information possible in a safe and timely manner so that I can determine and apply the most appropriate treatment, getting my patient back to a healthy and happy life.
Jack Gallagher DVM, DACVS
The Iam's Pet Imaging Center in Raleigh, NC has been an asset to our referring veterinarians and clients. Our surgical specialty practice, Veterinary Surgical Referral Practice (VSRP) in Cary, NC, has utilized the MRI center since its opening during the summer of 2004.
Many of our neurosurgical (and orthopedic) patients now benefit from MR imaging rather than myelography, as the studies are more precise and informative. We place great confidence in the expertise of the AnimalScan staff and we experience excellent communication with their radiologists, Drs. Donald Thrall and Ian Robertson.
The staff of VSRP believes that this center has been of great benefit to both our dog and cat patients and their owners.
Dr. Natasha Olby
Diagnosis of medical disorders starts with evaluation of the signs exhibited by the patient, may include assessment of a variety of blood tests and frequently involves obtaining actual images of the abnormal body part. Diagnosing neurological disorders can be very challenging because the central nervous system, (the brain and spinal cord), are protected by the skull and the vertebral column.
The protection afforded by these bones is vital to the soft tissue of the nervous system, but it does make imaging difficult. In the past neurologists relied on myelography and computed tomography to image the spinal cord and brain respectively. Although these tests can be very useful, both have limitations with respect to the diseases that can be detected and, in the case of myelography, safety to the patient.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging has revolutionized veterinary neurology because it is now possible to image the brain and spinal cord in a safe and reliable manner. High quality images can be obtained at little risk to the patient, other than the need for general anesthesia.
Different types of image sequence can be used to highlight different types of disease, making it a powerful tool when trying to reach a diagnosis. The sensitivity is such that every abnormality is detected, even those not causing a clinical problem, and it is therefore important that the imaging findings are correlated carefully to the neurological signs being exhibited.
AnimalScan located at the North Carolina State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Raleigh [also in San Francisco, Vienna, VA, and Easton, PA] has provided the neurology group at NCSU with an excellent service. The staff are friendly and competent and always provide compassionate, professional patient care.
We have particularly enjoyed working with them to develop new imaging techniques for our patients. We hope to continue to improve our ability to diagnose neurological disorders through ongoing collaborations with the Pet Imaging Center.