| Body Region | MRI Preferred | CT Preferred |
|---|
| Abdomen | - Identification of small organ masses - adrenal, pancreatic, lymph nodes.
- Clarification and surgical planning of large organ masses - hepatic, splenic, renal, intestinal.
| - Upper urinary tract evaluation - ectopic ureter, renal/ureteral calculus.
- Clarification and surgical planning of large organ masses - hepatic, splenic, renal, intestinal.
- Clarification of known or suspected portosystemic shunt.
|
| Cardiovascular | - Pericardial effusion, suspected pericardial masses.
- Suspected large vessel thrombus ( aorta, vena cava, or portal vein ).
| |
| Central Nervous System - Brain | - Suspected brain disorders - Seizures, cranial nerve signs, vestibular disease, ataxia, head tilt, behavioral changes, central blindness, pituitary disease, metastatic disease, congenital anomalies, head trauma with neurologic signs.
| - Skull trauma with suspected fracture.
- Acute intracranial trauma in critical, unstable patient.
|
| Central Nervous System - Spine | - Spinal cord - acute or progressive tetraparesis or hindlimb paresis, CP deficits, spinal pain, spinal trauma, congenital anomalies, discospondylitis, recurrence of post-operative disk disease.
| |
| Joints, Musculoskeletal | - Pain/lameness localized to any appendicular joint (ligaments, tendons, menisci, cartilage, bone, effusions).
- Evaluation of bone neoplasia pre-surgery.
| - Evaluation of elbow dysplasia.
- Suspected incomplete ossification of the humeral condyles (spaniel breeds).
- Complex fractures, including pelvis.
|
| Nasal Cavity | - Chronic nasal discharge, chronic sneezing, nasal cavity distortion, suspected nasal mass.
| - Chronic nasal discharge, chronic sneezing, nasal cavity distortion, suspected nasal mass.
|
| Orbits | - Exophthalmos, pain on opening mouth, suspected retrobulbar masses, optic nerve disease.
| - Orbital trauma with fracture.
|
| Other Head and Neck | - Soft tissue masses or swelling of unknown origin, lymphadenopathy, salivary gland, laryngeal, suspected mandibular or maxillary masses, thyroid masses.
- Chronic ear disease, head tilt.
| - Dental-based mass.
- Other head/skull trauma with suspected fractures.
|
| Peripheral Nervous System | - Suspected peripheral nerve neoplasia - progressive single limb muscle atrophy or pain.
| - |
| Thorax | | - Metastasis screening.
- Primary lung mass(es).
- Pneumothorax.
- Lung consolidation, chronic pneumonia.
- Pleural effusion.
- Mediastinal disease.
|
| Non-Body Region | MRI Preferred | CT Preferred |
|---|
| Cancer | - Soft tissue masses evaluation, especially for surgical planning.
- Body metastatic screening.
- Body lymph node and marrow evaluation.
| - Lung metastasis screening.
|
| Miscellaneous | - Suspected foreign bodies.
- Chronic draining tracts.
| |
