Imaging Vets in Sydney, Australia | Doctor

Imaging Vets

Locality: Sydney, Australia

Phone: +61 2 9808 2525

Address: PO Box 3055 2112 Sydney, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.imagingvets.com

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24.01.2022 Are you inexperienced with the use of ultrasound in veterinary practice? Even with limited experience, veterinarians can use ultrasound to assess animal presented with acute abdominal disease. These techniques are given many names, but why worry about the name, just use sonography to look for free abdomen fluid and then aseptically collect a fluid samples for analysis. In horses particularly you will also be assessing of dilated turgid intestinal too.... Without clipping in most animals and using alcohol as the coupling agent you can proceed. In horses the protocol is called FLASH (Fast Localized Abdominal Sonography in Horses) place the transducer on (1) ventral abdomen; (2) gastric window; (3) spleno-renal window; (4) left middle third of the abdomen; (5) duodenal window; (6) right middle third of the abdomen. Also check the ventral thorax while you are at it. The protocol in dogs and cats is called AFAST (Abdominal Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma or Triage) and the transducer can be placed in 4 locations beginning at the diaphragmatic-hepatic (DH) view, followed by the spleno-renal view (SR), the cysto-colic view (CC), and completed at the hepato-renal view (HR). These techniques are great for locating the best location for collection of your peritoneal fluid samples. Remember these are screening techniques, and with more experience you will realize what can also be missed with this technique. But they are a great place to start. Animals with persistent clinical signs and negative ultrasound should still undergo a comprehensive abdominal US examination (or serial exams) as a part of follow-up during clinical observation. Happy scanning, Dr Hoff

23.01.2022 What are the 3 major patterns of increased pulmonary parenchymal attenuation on veterinary CT? 1. Ground glass pattern (see figure) increased attenuating where bronchial walls and vessels are still seen. 2. Consolidation - when the bronchial walls and vessels are not discriminated from the consolidated tissue... 3. Soft tissue mass(es) Stay safe Dr Hoff

23.01.2022 CT or MRI for imaging assessment of lumbosacral disease in dogs? Well, there was a study in that looked at the agreement between computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and surgical findings in dogs with degenerative lumbosacral stenosis (Suwankong et al, 2006, JAVMA). There was substantial or near perfect agreement between CT and MRI findings in regard to the degree of disk protrusion, the location of disk protrusion, position of the dural sac, amount of epidural f...at covering the dural sac, and swelling of spinal nerve roots. Interestingly in surgery, there was only slight to fair agreement between the diagnostic imaging and the surgical findings. This was thought to be in part secondary to the different positioning of the limbs during surgery compared to the extended limb position for imaging. Happy Imaging, Dr Hoff

23.01.2022 Hi Guys, How many of you ENJOY learning from on-line courses? ....... So if you could learn anything in the field of veterinary diagnostic imaging, what would it be?... ....... Happy Imaging Dr Hoff

23.01.2022 Hi All, We hope you had great Christmas. Earlier this year there was a great MRI paper on the anatomy of the equine brain. A must-have if you are training or working in Veterinary Imaging. Check it out! https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213814... Happy Imaging Dr Hoff

22.01.2022 I am often pondering how we can get better imaging outcomes for our patients, arent you? And then I overheard an interview with Prof Don Berwick who was talking about better health outcomes in human medicine. Q: So, what is the prescription for better and safer patient care? ... A: TEAMWORK design, and thinking as a system.. Let me explain.. Don Berwick is a pediatrician and president emeritus, senior fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in the United States. On ABC Radio National with Normal Swan, Don Berwick was speaking about changing how human healthcare is performed to improve outcomes and safety for patients. Some of his comments in the interview were You see, when I was trained as a doctor, .we were told to be heroes; its my patient, Ive got to do my very best for this patient and thats the way excellence occurs. Thats absolutely important, we want doctors and nurses to feel responsible. ... .....BUT thats NOT how excellence happens, it happens when we WORK TOGETHER WELL, when there is TEAMWORK, when we have supports for really good communication..... ..You know, if youre in an operating room, a surgical theatre and something goes wrong, it might be the lowest status person in that room that realises that something is going wrong. That means youve got to have a team that can function in which the lowest status person can speak up and say to the surgeon, Stop, something is going wrong here, and be listened to. They call that crew resource management in the airline industry. We need that in hospitals. .....The time for heroism is over, this is about co-operation... .....By the way, the time for just beating up on people, accountability and measures and performance metrics and all that, thats got to go also, that has been a very negative phase in the development of healthcare........ if you are in Oz and to hear the whole interview go to .. http://radio.abc.net.au/programitem/pgE7Pk2woV?play=true I know for myself that I get the best results when I can have a to and fro discussion about a veterinary case. If you too want to have better outcomes and work as a team with us on your cases.......... you can feel free to contact our Imaging Specialists at Imaging Vets on [email protected] for a chat. Dr. Hoff Teamwork Image from http://www.freepik.com

21.01.2022 No matter what species you work with you can use high resolution ultrasound to run along rib surfaces to check rib fractures. This is great when you are out of your clinic looking at horses, foals, farm animals etc and X-rays are not easily performed or available. ... Even when you are in the clinic with dogs and cats it is also a way of double checking any rib(s) that you are not sure about on physical examination or radiographs. Happy imaging Dr Hoff

21.01.2022 Can you diagnose pulmonary hypertension on radiographs? In a study on 60 dogs, it was found that Doppler echocardiographic examination should remain the clinical non-invasive gold standard for diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension, with thoracic radiography serving to provide additional information rather than being the primary determinant for diagnosis.... So what are the supporting radiographic signs? Look for right ventricle enlargement, main pulmonary artery enlargement, lobar pulmonary artery enlargement, tortuous lobar arteries, and blunted lobar arteries. The radiographic evidence did tend to increase along with the severity of pulmonary arterial hypertension in this group of dogs. However, even in dogs with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension, the presence of any particular radiographic finding only occurred half of the time. So, no one radiographic change or group of radiographic changes was consistently reliable in differentiating the severity of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Happy Imaging Dr Hoff

20.01.2022 IMAGINE WHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE BY HAVING YOUR OWN PERSONALISED IN-CLINIC DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING SPECIALIST... This is what our Imaging Vets family of clinic enjoy..! Why? We provide a meaningful and personalized service that is based on a long-term understanding and relationship with each of our clinics and fellow veterinarians. ... I know that having specialist support in this important area can help your clinic succeed I know that the to and fro discussion about the imaging in a case within a team will get far better outcomes for the patient and your clients... For Imaging Vets, this is about having a relationship within a team of Veterinarians for the benefit of clinics, vets, their patients and of course, their clients! If this sounds like something you need message us, TODAY!

20.01.2022 As restrictions change across our country, we remind all of our Imaging Vets family not to become complacent and to continue to follow social distancing rules as our new normal even when working..... In stables we have more room but when using most veterinary imaging rooms we are in close quarters, so what do we do?... Both veterinarians and nursing staff are to wear masks and or face shields when we have to work closer than 1.5 meters.... Sedation of the patient when it is possible to minimise the number of people need to restrain the patient. We minimise the number of people in the rooms so we do not have owners or observers in the room. Minimise any discussion in close quarters and particularly if there is poor airflow within the rooms Keep safe, Happy imaging, Dr Hoff

20.01.2022 In a recent journal article on the comparison of methods to measure anal gland neoplasia in dogs in 107 dogs ........ .......... anal gland tumours >2.5 cm (tumour-stage 2) were significantly more likely to present with metastatic disease. J Small Anim Pract. 2020 Mar;61(3):185-189. doi: 10.1111/jsap.13104. Epub 2020 Jan 20

19.01.2022 This recent review in VRUS has found that even though the sonographical appearance of the intermediate patella ligament has sonographical changes, these sonographic lesions appear unchanged over time. In 23/25 horses with long term followup, the horses returned to work. Happy scanning Dr Hoff

18.01.2022 What is the evidence about bacterial contamination from dogs in human MRI scanners? This study found that bearded men harbour significantly higher burden of microbes and more human-pathogenic strains than dogs. As the MRI scanner used for both dogs and humans was routinely cleaned after animal scanning, there was substantially lower bacterial load compared with scanners used exclusively for humans. Gutzeit, A., Steffen, F., Gutzeit, J. et al. Eur Radiol (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-018-5648-z

17.01.2022 Did you know that the brain can herniate 4 different ways in animals with brain disease? What are they?.... 1. foramen magnum herniation when the caudal cerebellar vermis herniates through the foramen magnum (see photo),... 2. sub falcial herniation when the cingulate gyrus herniates ventral to the falx cerebri on the midline, 3. caudal transtentorial herniation when portions of the temporal cortex are ventral to the tentorium cerebelli, 4. rostral transtentorial herniation when the rostral cerebellar vermis is ventral to the tentorium cerebelli.

17.01.2022 After performing your survey radiographs in a trauma case when you are looking for vertebral instability and if your client only has the funds for one advanced imaging test which do you choose, a CT or MRI? In a recent paper by A. Gallastegui et al (2019) complete agreement between MRI and CT, as to fracture location, was low in fractured vertebra and mistakes were commonly made in all vertebral structures suggesting that MRI is a poorer modality for assessing fracture morph...ology. Although MRI can detect vertebral fractures of clinical importance and might be a reasonable substitute when CT is unavailable, currently, clinicians should opt for CT imaging when assessing osseous structures of the spine for evidence of trauma. FYI when making tough decisions.. Happy imaging Dr Hoff

16.01.2022 What dose of radiation do our patients receive? In a recent journal article by Gregorich et al (2018, JAVMA), the results of an online survey revealed that veterinary specialists have a poor understanding of the amount of ionizing radiation associated with many forms of medical imaging and interestingly believed there is no risk of fatal cancer development to patients undergoing such procedures. This is very surprising, given that epidemiological studies in humans have clea...rly revealed an increased lifetime risk of cancer with increasing use of medical imaging using ionizing radiation. Have a look at http://www.xrayrisk.com and estimate your own dose and changing risk with various procedures. In veterinary patients, less is known and more studies need to be performed. The increasing use of CT imaging is of concern for radiation safety as, CT imaging in skilled hands can be estimated to deliver 10 - 100 times the effective dose of radiation of a standard 3 view thoracic radiographic survey, and even higher if repeated attempts are performed or protocols are created in unskilled hands. As always for radiation safety, ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) and that means, just imaging only the region of concern. Start a conversation with your favourite Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging Specialist; to help to determine which imaging modality option may be best able to help you and your patient. Safer Imaging Dr Hoff

16.01.2022 3 species enjoying the ride!

16.01.2022 Around Easter you may be seeing a few more bunnies..... Have you ever wondered what modality to recommend for rabbits with dental disease? ......What is better? A study by Capello and Cauduro in 2016 (Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine, Vol.25(2), pp.115-127) showed that radiographs and CT can be both used well in the workup for suspected dental abnormalities. ... Radiographs are equal or in some cases more accurate than CT in intraoral treatment of selected tooth abnormalities. Computed tomographic imaging has an overall higher sensitivity and superior accuracy for clinical diagnosis (for cases of osteomyelitis following periapical infections, rhinitis, and otitis media) and prognosis as well as for planning extraoral dental treatment and surgery. The results of this retrospective study suggested that radiography is not an imaging modality of lesser value, but rather is complementary to CT. Happy Easter, Dr Hoff

15.01.2022 Getting confused about imaging anatomy..... We will feature some helpful sites that are out there for you. This time, have a look at IMAIOS......... What you will find is an interactive atlas of veterinary anatomy based on medical imaging. Vet-Anatomy has been created on the same framework than the popular award-wining e-Anatomy, but dedicated to animals, under the direction of Dr. Susanne AEB Boroffka, dipl. ECVDI, PhD and Dr. Antoine Micheau, MD. There are currently 12 canine modules and 1 equine module and 1 mouse module. This site could be good for exam preparation for students and veterinarians. New modules are being added as they are developed but why not let them know what you need. Check it out..... https://www.imaios.com/en/vet-Anatomy Happy imaging Dr Hoff

15.01.2022 Do you ever wonder what can cause a swelling on the jaw of the rabbit? One commonly encountered problem can be an odontogenic abscess and these may lead to significant problems.... Treatment of these abscesses is frequently unsuccessful because of aggressive capsule formation and the development of sinus tracts. ...... The thick pus makes aspiration and drainage difficult and antibiotic therapy may not penetrate into the tissue; therefore, surgical excision of the abscesses is often the best treatment option. Total excision can be difficult and recurrence of the infection is likely. Osteomyelitis and retrobulbar involvement are common sequelae. Radiographic or CT evaluation can be useful for surgical planning. I thought you might like to see a transverse image and 3D reconstructions of a rabbit with a chronic odontogenic mandibular osteomyelitis. Happy imaging Dr Hoff

14.01.2022 What are the CT features of oronasal or oromaxillary fistulae?..... Look for a linear tract to the nasal cavity or the maxillary sinus from the alveolar bone, no matter what the species...... In dogs and cats particularly with unilateral nasal disease, the linear tract may visible in some cases as in the example below but is not always seen as a open tract but may be suspected if there is dental disease and increased proteinaceous fluid is present within the nasal cavity.... In a recent study of the CT features of oronasal or oromaxillary fistulae in 17 horses (Hargraeves et al, VRUS, 2018), 14 horses had oromaxillary fistulae and 3 had oronasal fistulae. Heterogeneous feed material with gas bubbles can be seen in some cases in the linear tract, as in the example below. CT attenuation of the sinonasal material varies widely within and between cases. Concurrent dental abnormalities were identified in CT data in 16/17 horses. In all species careful dental examination with probing of the periodontal space can be invaluable to confirm the presence of linear tract into the sinonasal cavities . Have a chat with your friendly Veterinary Diagnostic Imager...... Happy scanning, Dr Hoff

14.01.2022 Another differential diagnosis! In a recent paper VRUS 2019, benign fibrostenotic stricture (annular or longitudinal) can be a differential diagnosis in debilitated young cats presenting with chronic bowel disease and ultrasonographic features of intestinal obstruction. Some intestinal segments can be similar in sonographical appearance to cases with small cell lymphoma, inflammatory bowel disease or esosinophilic enteritis. ... So add fibrostenotic stricture to your differential diagnoses lists. Happy scanning Dr Hoff

13.01.2022 Errors in radiology are inevitable as they are in all human endeavours. As veterinarians, we are not infallible; we are human and we can all make mistakes. That is why we work as a team, no result of any tests (even physical examination results), are taken in isolation and everyone one helps each other to get the best results. The average error rate is radiology is about 3040%.... Quality of the study, interpretation fatigue, failure to detect, over reading and under reading, in experience, faulty reasoning, incorrect diagnosis and poor communication are some of the errors. Rates of lesion detection improve with pertinent clinical data by the primary clinician. As many veterinarians have their technical staff fill in the history to send with the images, layers of information may not be passed on about the case and that can lead to misdirection about a case. Factors such as fatigue, distraction and bias can contribute to these errors and the increasing volume and complexity of CT and MRI studies increased this type of error. Most veterinary CT studies have been less < 2,500 Images. A large dataset is considered up to 4,000 images. Recently the study sizes have continued to creep in size and we have seen datasets from some clinics with new CT machines and inexperienced staff that can reach 6-8,000 and even up to 12,000 images. If you spent 2 sec per image on a study of this size would take 6.66 hours to scroll through alone without any dwell time or time for reconstructions. If your radiologist does not know a study of this size is arriving, the time to report on that study will not be anticipated. By improving the use of imaging protocols and improving consistency in technique by involving skilled radiographers and radiologists in the acquisition of the study, the size of the studies can be optimised, the technical quality of the studies and scheduling for their interpretation while minimising fatigue can improve. Happier Imaging as a team Dr Hoff

12.01.2022 What radiographic signs help you identify small intestinal obstruction in rabbits? In a study by Debenham et al (2019) the most common findings in 63 pet rabbits were 1. Severe gastric dilation with gastric contents primarily consisting of liquid and gas 2. Small intestinal dilation and absence of large amounts of gas in the caecum and large intestine.... In such cases of complete small intestinal obstruction, the progression of gastric/intestinal dilation was rapid, as rabbits are unable to vomit due to a welldeveloped lower oesophageal sphincter. Happier Imaging Dr Hoff Link: https://doi-org.ezproxy1.library.usyd.edu.au/10./jsap.13069

11.01.2022 Chronic interstitial inflammatory disease can result in pulmonary fibrosis in many species. The initial cause can be difficult to determine but many infectious agents and inhaled antigens have been implicated. A multinodular form of pulmonary fibrosis has been described in horses and equine herpesvirus type 5 has been implicated. . Equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis (EMPF) has been described in Europe, USA, United Kingdom and Australia. ... As you can imagine, the horses present with chronic signs of weight loss and tachypnoea. Happy Imaging Dr Hoff

11.01.2022 RADIOGRAPHY TRAINING TIP: Improving your images can be as simple as teaching your staff to RESET windowing and level (brightness and contrast) on the radiographs BEFORE saving and ending study and sending it to your server. It is easy to assume that an adjustment to brightness and contrast prior to sending your images to PACS is doing everyone a favour, but in fact, you may prevent them from seeing anatomical information that was there in the original exposure.... The functionality of your own QC workstation is simply to provide you with an initial quick review, and in the radiologist reading room, there are more image manipulation tools for viewing the images that you sent. Once you save the altered images to the server you have lost the data from the original image set forever. You dont want your review of the images to be limited by the previous loss of data So remember, the more data you save on the original data set, the more you and your radiologist will be able to manipulate the images later. Happy Imaging Dr Hoff

08.01.2022 In a recent letter to the editor of the VRUS (2019), we are reminded of many of the goals of Veterinary Imaging Specialists. One goal of the colleges is to help protect the public and their animals against veterinary incompetencies in the field of Diagnostic Imaging. When experts in imaging are available, mistakes based on clinician bias, sunken-cost bias, equipment bias, incomplete studies, non-diagnostic studies, artefacts and the mistakes made in the selection of incorrec...t or unnecessary studies, are greatly reduced. The examining colleges are there to help certify the skill sets of the Veterinary Diagnostic Imager through accrediting training centres and programs, as well as providing the opportunity for board examinations in a transparent way. The letter outlined that the relationship between a veterinarian and a specific radiologist is of great benefit because a rapport is built up overtime that has mutual respect. I agree.... It almost goes without saying that working with specialists who have mutual respect for other clinicians and diplomats promotes quality, professional interaction and helps to provide thorough and complete veterinary care for our patients. And the clients love to know that you are not just making the decisions on your own. And, if there is a radiologist within a specialty clinic who is an integral part of the medical wheel , and who is part of the discussion for each patient, the radiologist will elevate the level of diagnostic accuracy and can be an active participant in providing quality medical care. Lets keep working together. Happy teamwork, Dr Hoff https://doi.org/10.1111/vru.12713

08.01.2022 How do you get Imaging Eyes? Have you ever wondered how imaging specialists see what they see? For 3-4 years, each person undertaking an imaging residency has their imaging work closely critiqued and scrutinized daily and their knowledge challenged by supervisors and other imaging specialists....... And for fun they are put in the hot seat and publicly challenged on cases where others know the outcome of the case By the end of the residency, they will have been questioned and pushed on thousands of imaging studies that they have seen and have performed during their residencies When it comes time for the board exams, they are rigorously examined on every aspect of imaging physics, artefacts, the pathophysiology of diseases, literature and the evidence for the appropriate application of an imaging test. And their imaging reports are also tested under examination conditions. For those of us who have completed the diagnostic imaging board exam challenge in the last decade, we will have been evaluated on multiple species and multiple modalities (including radiology, ultrasound, NM, fluoroscopy and CT and MRI) to expert level and then...... we get to do this all day, every day This is why we want to share our knowledge and our thoughts to help you not only choose the best imaging test but to help each of you to get the best results from each test... This is how teamwork with an imaging specialist can help you do your best work too. Contact us today to see if we can help you too....... Happy Imaging Dr Hoff The diagram below is from scienceblogs.com

08.01.2022 Visuospatial skills are really important for basic ultrasound skills, it makes sense! Some people and better than others at this, in a study published in VRUS by Walker et al. the use of a mental rotation test as one of the visuospatial task assessments was a significant predictor of a baseline ultrasound skills task outcome. Have a look at the paper and see how you do in the mental rotation questions :)... Happy imaging, Dr Hoff

08.01.2022 What is carcinomatosis and sarcomatosis? Carcinomatosis is when there is disseminated spread of malignant epithelial cells within body cavities. And sarcomatosis when there is disseminated spread of malignant mesenchymal cells within body cavities. Can you tell if it is a sarcomatosis or a carcinomatosis by its imaging characteristics?... In a recent publication in VRUS (2021:1-11), the imaging characteristics of both CT and ultrasound characteristics were evaluated retrospectively in 21 dogs and 10 cats. There is a large degree of overlap between the appearance of carcinomatosis and sarcomatosis as would be expected. Although not significantly different, the sarcomatosis was more likely to have defined nodules with strong heterogeneous contrast enhancement and the canine patients has higher body weights. Whereas, the carcinomas had more poorly defined soft tissue nodules with a more uniform contrast enhancement. Dogs with carcinomatosis are likely to have abdominal pain and cats has clinical signs of inappetence. Due to the overlapping signs, cytological or histopathological analysis remains necessary for a definitive diagnosis of sarcomatosis and carcinomatosis in our patients. And of course there are other causes to exclude such as inflammatory or infectious diseases. Happy Imaging Dr Hoff

07.01.2022 Here is another great anatomy site. Ivala learn is free for veterinary students, interns, residents and free for VIN members too. Subscriptions available for others. Covers feline, canine, equine and exotics and as always deveopling more material all the time. https://www.ivalalearn.com Happy Imaging... Dr Hoff See more

07.01.2022 How accurate are the measurements of blood flow velocity with Doppler ultrasound? Well it depends on the angle of insonation... For the most accurate measurement of blood velocity, the interrogating beam should be aligned with the direction of the blood flow, that is 0 (cos = 1). ... If the angle is not aligned but is perpendicular to flow, that is 90 (cos = 0), there will not be a Doppler shift and the blood velocity cannot be determined. This is particularly important in cardiology when we are assessing peak flow velocities and then use their calculated pressure gradients. Better Imaging, Dr Hoff The diagram below was from www.centrus.com.br/DiplomaFMF/SeriesFMF/doppler

07.01.2022 One pulmonary nodule does not necessarily a sign of malignancy .. Just as Aristotle said, One swallow does not a summer make.... The increased use of CT can lead to the discovery of single or multiple small pulmonary nodules.... The workup for patients with a solid solitary pulmonary nodule should be guided by the probability of malignancy in that case, its imaging results, and the risks and benefits of different management strategies. Solid solitary pulmonary nodules that are stable over time are likely to be from a benign process. Monitoring the size can be individualized according to client preference and values. But a repeat radiograph or CT in 1-2 months may be useful. The moral of the story is dont be the bearer of doom and gloom as the lesion may be an inflammatory lesion or benign process. Time will tell. Here are 2 cases where the nodules were monitored with a repeat CT in approximately 1-2 months and in both these cases the nodule had resolved. Happy Imaging Dr Hoff

07.01.2022 Do you have trouble remembering the types of growth plate fractures using the SALTER - HARRIS classification ? Try this SStraight = Type 1 AAbove = Type 2... L Lower = Type 3 TThrough = Type 4 E. R Rammed or cRushed = Type 5 Happing Imaging Dr Hoff

05.01.2022 A trap for young players...... By taking a whole body radiograph you are missing out on the best possible diagnostic study....... Each area needs to be optimised in turn .... ... For the best thoracic radiographs you may have.... high KVp and mA low time and taken at peak inspiration For the best abdominal radiographs you may have .... low KVp and high mA higher time taken at expiration And you need to centre over the area of interest to reduce distortion (https://veteriankey.com/the-spine/) So how can you expect to do all that with one wide view??...... Make a deliberate study of each area in turn........ Happy Imaging Dr Hoff

05.01.2022 What are the non-contrast CT characteristics of melanomas in the equine head? In non-contrast CT images, all melanomas were HYPERATTENUATING (median; 113.5 HU) compared to masseter musculature (median; 69 HU), And 25.9% masses were partially mineralized and 19.4% included hypoattenuating areas.... Melanomas were found most frequently in the parotid salivary gland, guttural pouches, surrounding the larynx and pharynx and adjacent to the hyoid apparatus. Veterinary Radiol Ultrasound, Vol. 57, No. 3, 2016, pp 246252. Happy Imaging Dr Hoff

05.01.2022 Are all studies created equally?.... Often suspected in horses with severe temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (THO) but a secondary fracture of the temporal bone diagnosis was difficult to impossible with radiographs alone. Now with the use of CT and using the post processing ability to reconstruct images with finer slices, in multiple planes and with various selected windowing, we can see now what can was previously missed. ... Tanner et al (Vet Radiol Ultrasound.2019;60:159166). found a prevalence of fractures in cases with severe THO as high as 44%, and the fractures were oriented in a rostrodorsal to caudoventral direction approximately perpendicular to the long axis of the stylohyoid bone. Working as a team with your friendly radiologists can be helpful to get the most from these studies . Nice work! Happy imaging, Dr Hoff. See more

04.01.2022 Is intervertebral disc disease the same in horses as in humans or dogs? The studies by Veraa et al, demonstrate that the morphology of the intervertebral disc of horses has a different composition compared to most other species. The equine IVD has more fibrous and fibrocartilaginous elements. As such, T2- weighted sequences on MRI are less suited for the evaluation of the intervertebral disc in the equine neck than in humans or companion animals.... Macroscopically confirmed degeneration in the equine cervical intervertebral disc can be detected with MRI and the best sequence to do so is the proton density turbo SE in combination with a gradient-recalled echo sequence. Happy Imaging Dr Hoff https://doi.org/10.1111/vru.12794

02.01.2022 Third carpal bone sagittal fractures can be difficult to detect in the standard skyline dorsoproximal -dorsodistal (DPrDDiO) view of the distal row of the carpal bones. By using a novel view, dorsoproximal lateralpalmarodistal medial oblique (DPrLPDiMO) projection, Ramzon (EVJ 2019) it can help to increase the conspicuity of a sagittal oriented fracture line. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12999

02.01.2022 Here is one of our cheeky birds. For those of you studying it is always worth a review of avian wing anatomy. Happy Australia Day weekend, Dr Hoff

02.01.2022 What are the possibilities when you see subcutaneous emphysema? Do you have a short list that you go through? Here is a few that may be helpful to think about ....... 1. Skin lacerations that allow the entry of air in to the subcutaneous tissues. These may be hard to find if in axilla or inguinal region 2. Injection site if air was in the syringe 3. Extension from laryngeal, pharyngeal, tracheal or oesophageal trauma/tear 4 Extension from pneumomediastinum secondary to blunt trauma 5. Pneumothorax with fractured rib or intercostal laceration 6. Infection of the subcutaneous tissue with gas forming organism. Happy Imaging Dr Hoff