Digital radiography large animals (vet)

Radiology makes use of X-rays. In digital radiography X-rays are transferred into a digital signal and displayed on a monitor. With the help of radiography we can examine the internal organs and bone structures of an animal.

The images are already available after a few seconds. Radiographic examination therefore only takes a couple of minutes. We strictly follow the rules for radioprotection. It is possible that we use (light) sedation when examining your animal.

The department disposes of two digital radiographic systems: Computed Radiography (CR) and Direct Radiography technology. The CR consists of a set of cassettes with a phosphor plate inside and a reading system. When the cassettes are exposed to light, the phosphor layer absorbs the X-rays. Then the cassette is placed into the reading system and the information is read out from the phosphor plate by means of a laser beam. Within one minute the image is visible on a screen.

We also dispose of a DX-M (Agfa Gevaert) which makes use of the fine needle technology alongside phosphor plates. In this way a very high image quality can be obtained while using a low radiation dose.

All images are forwarded to a PACS system. In this way every image can be viewed on different screens/locations throughout the clinic. At the same time, all images are digitally stored in an integrated archive (PACSonWEB). In this way the images are easily accessible online by the referring vet or by the owner(s).

Waiting time is minimal and the images can be made in different locations in the clinic at the same time due to a central reading system. Contrary to conventional radiography images can easily be adapted with regard to clarity and contrast and image details can be optimized. Thanks to this post-processing we can avoid that images need to be taken again and we avoid unnecessary stress for the patient. In Direct Radiography the image is instantly available and there is no waiting time at all.

Devices in our clinic:

  • 2 digital radiography systems CR and DR (Agfa Gevaert)
  • 2 mobile RX devices and 1 suspension system

Radiography is recommended for:

  • Examining lameness in horses
  • Examining head, teeth, neck and respiratory disorders
  • Radiographic examination in sport horses
  • Yearly screening of stallions for the BWP and SBS studbook