Illustrated Handbook of Veterinary Radiology

Veterinary imaging has the privilege and challenges that go with continued development of current and new imaging technologies and modalities. Veterinary radiology is a long established subject discipline in veterinary science. It is fair to say that every veterinary graduate alive today will have received formal training in this subject irrespective of their date or place of graduation. Despite or perhaps because of this long ancestry, it is worthwhile examining the extent of the subject's boundaries and its place in veterinary medicine. One can ask what imaging modalities fall under the remit of the subject and why they do so. Veterinary activities have always been concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of disease, with clinical and experimental animal research, and with agriculture, to select but a few areas of interest.

Illustrated Handbook of Veterinary Radiology will provide a brief review of the fundamental aspects of radiograph production and an update on the various types of radiography systems currently available for use in veterinary practice. Radiography is a commonly used diagnostic tool in veterinary practice. A fundamental understanding of how radiographs are created enables the user to select the most appropriate exposure factor settings during radiograph production, in order to achieve optimal image quality. It is one of the most commonly used diagnostic tools in veterinary practice even though other imaging modalities such as ultrasonography, CT, MRI, and nuclear imaging are also very important and commonly available in specialty practices and academic centers. Imaging provides a large amount of information by noninvasive means. It does not alter the disease process or cause unacceptable discomfort to the animal. Although radiography itself is painless, sedation is often desirable to reduce anxiety and stress associated with the procedure, to promote acquisition of good diagnostic studies with minimal repeats, and to control pain associated with manipulation in animals with painful disorders such as fractures and arthritis.