VSUR65

VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING

It is a non-invasive method of making medical

images of the body to diagnose a disease.

Diagnostic Imaging Test

1. X-ray
2. Ultrasound
3. Computed Tomography Scan
4. Magnetic Resonance Imaging

X-ray - discovered November 8, 1896, by Wilhelm

Conrad Roentgen
- Angiography was first described in 1896

BASIC PROPERTIES OF X-RAY

1. Have no charge
2. Have no mass
3. Travel at speed of light
4. Are invisible
5. Cannot be felt
6. Travel in a straight line
7. Cannot be deflected by magnetic fields
8. Penetrate all matter to some degree
9. Cause certain substance to fluoresce
10. Can expose photographic emulsions
11. Can ionize atoms
RADIATION PROTECTION

A goal in diagnostic radiology is to obtain

maximum diagnostic information with minimal
exposure of the patient, radiology personnel, and
general public.

RADIATION UNITS

Roentgen, rad, rem – first units to quantify

radiation exposure, radiation absorption, and
equivalent dose

International System of Units (SI Units) –

roentgen, rad and rem not coherent , changed
into coulomb per kilogram and joule per kilogram.

EXPOSURE QUANTITY
- The measurement is based on the number
of ion pairs produced in air by the
oncoming radiation
- Absorbed dose not constant
- Dose equivalent

RADIATION SAFETY
- ALARA

BIOLOGIC PRINCIPLES
- X-rays produce ionization in tissue
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
- Radiation workers in veterinary practices
must be aware of the risk of radiation
- Workers should be skilled
- Workers should be instructed on the
proper use and care of radiation protection
devices
- Pregnant and potentially pregnant women,
individuals younger than 18 years old

Combination of the following measures to

reduction of radiation exposure:
1. Distance
2. Time
3. Shielding

PERSONNEL MONITORING
- Check the adequacy of the radiation
safety program
- Disclose improper radiation protection
practices
- Detect potentially serious radiation
exposure situations
- Radiation badge
- Performed in controlled areas

BASIC RADIATION SAFETY RULES FOR

DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY
1. Only personnel involved in the procedure
should be in the room at the time of
exposure.
2. Persons younger than 18 years old and
pregnant women must not be in the room
during the examination
3. Personnel who assist with radiographic
examinations should have a rotating duty
roster to minimize exposure to any one
person
4. Sandbags, sponges, tape or other
restraining devices should be used for
positioning the patient rather than manual
restraint
5. Anesthesia or tranquilization should be used
to facilitate patient restraint when possible.
6. No part of the body should be in the primary
beam, wether or not protected by gloves or
aprons
7. An x-ray tube, x-ray machine, or cassette
should never be handheld during the
exposure
8. Protective aprons should be worn when
positioning an animal
9. Protective gloves should be worn if hands
are placed near the primary beam
10. Protective glasses should be worn if the
work level is heavy. These glasses provide
0.25 mm Pb equivalent protection to the lens
11. Thyroid shields should be considered.
These are “mini-aprons” that are worn
around the neck to protect the thyroid gland
12. Collimate the primary beam so each film
has an unexposed border, proving that the
primary beam does not exceed the size of
the cassette
13. Use the fastest film screen combination
compatible with the production of diagnostic
 images
14. All personnel should wear radiation
badges outside the lead apron
15. Plan the procedure carefully and double
check machine settings.

PRODUCTION OF X-RAYS

Electrons released from filament. Tube voltage is

applied across the x-ray tube. Electrons, therefore, are
accelerated towards positively charged anode, which
gives them a certain energy. The electrons strike the
anode and the energy released via interaction with the
anode atoms produces x-ray photons.

BASICS OF DIGITAL IMAGING

ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERSION
- Analog information is transferred by a
voltage or voltage pulse
- Disadvantages of the analog format
include electronic noise
- Analog signals that are acquired by
medical imaging equipment are converted
to digital data
- Disadvantages of digital data are the
potential for formation loss from sampling
and quantization

COMPUTER PROCESSING IN DIGITAL

IMAGING
- Computers are required to handle the
large amount of digital data that form a
digital image
- Each digital number is represented in a
gray-scale image on a computer/video
screen in the form of tiny squares called
pixels, or picture elements