At South Moor Vets we have invested in modern digital radiography equipment for all three of our surgeries, as well as a mobile unit for our equine department to take out and about.
Digital technology
Traditionally radiographs were produced by directing x-rays at a piece of x-ray film which was then developed much like old-style camera film, producing a physical image on the film. This has now largely been replaced by digital techniques.
The x-rays are produced in the same way, but directed at an electronic detector plate, which converts the x-rays it receives into digital information and wirelessly sends it to a laptop computer to be displayed for the vets to examine.
The advantages
This has many advantages over the traditional system. It is much quicker, so reduces the length of sedation or anaesthesia required for your pet, and meaning in an emergency situation we can identify problems earlier and initiate treatment sooner. The dose of x-rays required is lower than for traditional radiographs, making it a safer process for all involved. The images are stored on a computer and can be easily sent by email to other practices or for specialist interpretation. The software also allows us to make accurate measurements from the x-rays and they can be digitally manipulated if necessary.