Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Is advanced imaging worth it for my pet's diagnosis?
By Lamb, Christopher R & David, Frédéric H·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2012·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Advanced imaging: use and misuse.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
This article discusses how advanced imaging techniques, like MRIs and CT scans, can help veterinarians better understand a pet's health issues compared to traditional X-rays. While these advanced methods can lead to more accurate diagnoses and potentially better treatment outcomes, there isn't enough evidence showing that they actually improve results for pets. Additionally, there's a concern that using these advanced imaging techniques too often can lead to unnecessary tests that don't really help the pet but do increase costs. Overall, the article emphasizes the need for careful use of advanced imaging in veterinary care.
Abstract
SUMMARY: The primary purpose of diagnostic imaging is to enable clinicians to make correct decisions about a patient's diagnosis and severity of its condition and, thereby, to contribute to effective and efficient treatment. Advanced imaging modalities are inherently better detectors of morphological lesions than radiography; hence, they offer the possibility of more accurate diagnosis and staging, with correspondingly better patient outcomes. However, there is a lack of evidence that better outcomes are being realised for veterinary patients. Furthermore, increased use of advanced imaging carries the possibility of increased misuse, primarily through unnecessary studies that contribute little to patient management other than increased costs. SCOPE: This article is intended to be relevant to all veterinary species. Advanced imaging of cats is not sufficiently developed as a specific discipline that a balanced review could be based purely on feline examples or references.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22736682/