Primary Care
Specialty Care
Interventional radiology (IR) procedures are minimally invasive and often involve inserting small tools like guidewires and catheters into the body while guiding the procedure with real time imaging such as x-ray fluoroscopy or ultrasound. IR is also known as image-guided therapy or pin-hole surgery because the procedure is done through a very small needle puncture or incision compared to traditional surgery. IR allows doctors to treat certain problems with blood vessels and lymph vessels, correct congenital cardiac defects, open airways, place catheters or stents throughout the body, and treat tumors directly. In veterinary medicine, IR procedures can be done by a variety of specialists, but are most commonly performed by cardiologists, surgeons, and internal medicine specialists.
Radiation oncologists use a linear accelerator, a machine that directs beams of energy, to treat specific areas of your pet's body. Radiation therapy works by sterilizing the targeted tumor cells, making them unable to reproduce and grow and resulting in tumor shrinkage. Your veterinary oncologist or internal medicine specialist will develop a radiation treatment plan in conjunction with the radiation oncologist.
Veterinarians who want to become board certified in radiology must seek additional, intensive training to become a specialist and earn this prestigious credentialing. Specialty status is granted by the American College of Veterinary Radiologists (ACVR). A veterinarian who has achieved this specialty status will list the initials, 'DACVR,' after his or her DVM degree. Or, the veterinarian may indicate that he or she is a 'Diplomate' of the ACVR. The word 'Diplomate' typically means the specialist has achieved the following:
Obtained a traditional 8-year veterinary degree (four years of college plus four years of veterinary school).
Completed an additional three years of advanced training, including a residency at a veterinary teaching hospital or approved alternate position where the veterinarian will have trained with some of the best experts in the field and obtained hands on experience.
Completed the credentialing application process established by the ACVR.
Passed a rigorous examination.
Board certified veterinary radiologists may seek additional credentialing in radiation oncology, a recognized affiliate of the ACVR. These veterinarians are specially trained to provide radiation treatments to veterinary cancer patients. After completing and passing all of these rigorous requirements, the veterinarian is then recognized by his or her peers as a board certified specialist in veterinary radiology, with any areas of special emphasis noted. When your pet needs the expertise of a veterinary radiologist, years of intensive training and additional education will be focused on helping to properly diagnose the problem and establish the optimal treatment course
The expertise of a board certified veterinary radiologist is helpful in any of the following situations:
Surgical cases
Internal medicine cases of all kinds
Trauma cases (when assessing the extent of injury)
Brain, spinal cord, or disc problems
Tumor evaluation Biopsies Cancer treatment (radiation oncology)
A contrast agent is a substance that is administered to your pet intravenously that helps determine the amount of blood flow to a particular tissue area. This contrast agent can help the veterinary radiologist determine whether the tissue is normal, inflamed, or cancerous. The agent can also help determine the edges of where abnormal tissue ends and normal tissue begins.
If your pet is in need of a specialist in veterinary radiology, discuss it with your VCA general practitioner vet or find a board certified VCA veterinary radiologist near you.
Some areas of your pet's body are difficult to view with conventional radiographic techniques. Both CT and MRI can sometimes provide more accurate views or additional information that would not be available through routine radiography. All diagnostic imaging techniques'"CT, MRI, radiographs, ultrasound'"are especially helpful to veterinarians as animal patients cannot tell us what is wrong.