Small Animal, Dentistry and Behaviour Conference 2019

Current standard of care for the management of head and neck conditions involves advanced imaging modalities – ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These modalities are relatively widely available now in veterinary medicine, however they require a high level of expertise to acquire quality diagnostic studies and can be expensive. They are superior to radiography in many ways, including being cross-sectional in nature which eliminates issues with superimposition and allows for post-acquisition multiplanar reconstructions, and they provide improved contrast resolution especially following contrast administration. They obviously have diagnostic capabilities but can also guide treatment and surgical planning and tissue sampling. Complementary tests are often needed for full evaluation, which may include multiple imaging modalities and/or other procedures. Indications for use are numerous and wide-ranging, including imaging throat/ventral neck, sinonasal, aural, neurologic, dental/oral, trauma and cancer cases. A thorough knowledge of normal 3D anatomy of the head and neck as well as the physics of image formation of the individual modalities is fundamental for accurate study interpretation.