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Lakeland
Veterinary Hospital
"Caring for pets and the people who love them" |
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~Radiology~
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| Radiology (x-rays) is routinely used to provide valuable information about a pet's bones, gastrointestinal tract (stomach, intestines, colon), respiratory tract (lungs), heart, and genitourinary system (bladder, prostrate). It can be used alone or conjunction with other diagnostic tools, such as ultrasonography, to provide a list of possible causes for a pet's condition, identify the exact cause of a problem or rule out possible problems. | ||||
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When a pet is being radiographed, an x-ray beam passes through its body and hits a piece of radiographic film. Images of the film appear as various shades of gray and reflect the anatomy of the animal. Bones, which absorb more x-rays, appear as light, gray structures. Soft tissues, such as the lungs, absorb fewer x-rays and appear as dark gray structures. Interpretation of radiographs requires great skill on the part of the veterinarian. For complicated cases, we have a radiologist examine the radiographs and give an opinion on any abnormalities present. | |||