Our Services
Pet Diagnostics Imaging
Digital radiography is the latest in X-ray technology, and it is just one of the many veterinary diagnostic tools we use. Digital radiography provides X-rays quickly and generally with sharper and more accurate pictures than traditional X-rays.
Digital X-Rays
Crestwood Animal Hospital has extensive veterinary diagnostic capabilities. First and foremost, we offer the latest in digital X-rays. Unlike traditional, manually created X-ray film images, digital radiography is fast and highly automated and can complement other diagnostic techniques, such as ultrasound, for your pet. This means less discomfort and fear for your pet. It also means that images are available quickly and are generally sharper and more accurate than traditional X-rays. Another advantage of digital radiography is that it results in less radiation exposure for your pet.
The new digital technology allows the radiographer to adjust the brightness and contrast as the image is being created. This often allows the radiographer to get the “best” image the first time, rather than having to take multiple images as in the past. The image is then viewable on a computer screen and can also be saved as a digital image to share with referring veterinarians when needed.
On occasion, light sedation may be required to minimize movement during the X-ray procedure.
Ultrasonography
A diagnostic tool familiar to many people is ultrasound. This technique uses precise sound waves to “see” inside the body. It is a great, non-invasive tool used by veterinarians along with digital X-rays.
Sometimes called sonography, ultrasound uses very high-frequency sound beyond the range of human hearing. When ultrasound is used for medical imaging, the sound waves are directed toward the organ or part of the body that needs to be examined, and the echoes that come back are analyzed by computer technology.
Sonography can be used to help diagnose heart disease, liver problems, tumors, and many other conditions.
At Crestwood Animal Hospital, we use ultrasound for diagnoses and to help with many procedures. Evaluating organs such as the liver, kidneys, and heart is much easier with the use of our ultrasound equipment.
And, since it is non-invasive and most often “non-threatening,” it is not usually necessary to sedate an animal before an ultrasound examination. Ultrasound produces images in “real-time,” so there is no delay in getting diagnostic information.
