Information on different departments at SNU VMTH and introduction for the medical staff will be provided here.

Department of
veterinary medical imaging
Radiology was developed after Dr. Röntgen discovered X-rays in 1895, which was implemented in medicine. It also has a very significant presence in veterinary medicine. In clinical veterinary medicine, the area of radiology can be largely divided into diagnostics and therapeutics.
In the field of diagnostics, X-ray, ultrasound, computed tomography(CT), magnetic resonance imaging(MRI), isotope nuclear medicine, and angiography are used for medical diagnosis. These diagnostic methods are used appropriately to diagnose the patient's conditions and to provide directions for surgery and treatment.
In the field of therapeutic radiology, interventional procedures utilizing all imaging devices are directly applied to treatments.
Radiology plays a key role in the treatment of tumors in animals based on radiation biology. Recently the demand for these therapeutic uses have been increasing.
Diagnostic imaging
services
Department of veterinary medical imaging offers the following diagnostic imaging services.

Simple radiography and interpretation

The department offers simple X-ray imaging and reading services. We take the images of the patient, read the image, and provide the corresponding diagnosis and consultation, then store the imagery information.

Fluoroscopy

While conventional radiography is a diagnostic method with static film images, the fluoroscopic imaging examines the mobility and functionality of the internal organs by acquiring continuous images. This can be used to detect gastrointestinal motility, heart rate, and organ motility, as well as to conduct various special imaging procedures, enabling improved accuracy of the diagnosis.

Special imaging

Special imaging is a method used when simple radiographic images fail to confirm diagnosis, or a specific contrast agent is given to an area for evaluating the bodily function, and artificial contrast is assigned to the area before the evaluation is performed.
The following services are available at our hospital.

Gastroenterography

Gastroenterography is a safe and effective method of confirming conditions such as giant esophagus, foreign body, intestinal tract, ulcer, perforation, obstruction, and so on, when gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting are observed.
The patient is given contrast medium for consumption before taking the images.
In such cases, because the patient's upper gastrointestinal tract must be empty, there may be necessary preparation procedures such as fasting, enema, etc.

Urinary angiography

This imaging technique is a method for examining the causes of various urinary diseases showing symptoms such as hematuria, polyuria and anuria. It includes excretory urography for evaluation of kidney function and retrograde urinary tract angiography which injects the contrast medium through the urinary tract. In these cases, it is more effective to perform this procedure in parallel with ultrasonic and fluoroscopic examinations.

Spinal angiography

If the patient shows nervous system symptoms such as lag and paralysis, spinal angiography is conducted to diagnose herniated intervertebral disk, spinal tumor, and the pressure on the spinal cord caused by the herniated disks. General anesthesia is imperative for this procedure, and it requires extreme caution when performed. However in recent times, as similar examination can be performed more simply and precisely by using computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, the spinal angiography is used less frequently. We also offer other special diagnostic services as cardiovascular angiography, arthrography, cystography, and vaginal examination.

Assessment of hip and elbow dysplasia

We carry out radiological examinations on the presence and degree of hip and elbow dislocations. We utilize a recently developed program to perform a precise check on the possibility of hip or elbow dysplasia, which are commonly observed in dogs. As these conditions tend to be genetic, dysplasia assessment is a necessary procedure to reduce the incidence of future conditions prior to establishing sale or purchase plans as well as breeding plans.
This examination is performed after sedating the patient, and requires advance appointment.

Ultrasound examination

The ultrasound examination sends ultrasonic waves into the body using the Probe equipment, which transmits and receives the ultrasonic waves. When the waves are reflected and returned, the Probe receives the waves, and the images are reconstructed by the computer, creating a cross-section imagery of the area penetrated by the ultrasonic waves.
Examining these cross-sectional images reveals the size, shape, and color of each organ, so we can determine the condition of the disease. As it is a non-invasive, safe and simple diagnostic method, the ultrasound examination is a very helpful method of examining abdominal organs. It is also used for monitoring patients after internal or surgical treatment. However, if there is a lot of food or gas shadows in the gastrointestinal tract, the image may contain interferences, so fasting or enema procedures may be required.

Echocardiography

Echocardiography is used to diagnose and check various congenital and acquired heart diseases that cannot be confirmed by normal X-ray or electrocardiography. Using colored Doppler, information regarding the structure of heart, direction of blood flow in each part, shape, and speed is measured to observe the patient's pathophysiological status.

Computed tomography

Computed Tomography (CT) is a medical imaging equipment system that uses X-ray and computer to photograph the body structure in cross-sections, and reconstruct it for better discrimination between soft tissues and to avoid overlapping with other structures. The CT is extremely useful for examining not only the normal anatomical structures but also for conducting disease diagnosis. SNU VMTH acquired a 64-channel CT in 2016, and has been offering diagnosis services for clinical diagnosis of small animals as well as for clinical research of industry-related animals. Our CT equipment is capable of taking helix computed tomography, which enables quicker and more precise examination, and as the images are reconstructed and expressed in three-dimensional images, even vascular anomalies and small lesions in soft tissues can be diagnosed. This provides more precise information for surgery planning.

Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)

Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) uses radiofrequency(RF) electromagnetic radiation and magnetic fields, so it does not use ionizing radiation and is considered to be a safer examination method for patients. The method is based on the principle of measuring the specific proportion occupied by hydrogen atoms in water molecules. MRI provides better resolution than X-rays or CT scans on soft tissues, and is particularly useful for examining the nervous system as it is specialized for imaging the brain and spinal cord.
Equipment and
imaging room
  • Exploitation room
  • DR imaging room
  • Fluoroscopy room
  • CT room
  • MRI room
  • Ultrasound imaging room
  • Exploitation room
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