X-ray has been one of the key diagnostic tools in veterinary medicine since the 1930’s. Our x-ray unit has been calibrated and tested in order to meet the standards set by the American Animal Hospital Association. The equipment is inspected every three years to comply with AAHA standards as well as Nebraska standards.
For excellent x-ray image quality, we have converted to digital radiology. Digital radiology is a new technology that produces higher quality diagnostic images than the traditional film and plate radiographs.
Digital x-ray equipment has many benefits to you, your pet, and the environment. It allows us the best diagnostic ability, the ability to allow immediate access of images to specialists in any part of the country for review and consultation.
Benefits for you:
- X-rays can be easily saved to a compact disk and sent to any referral hospital or surgeon
- As compared to x-ray film, disks are easier to store and transport.
- X-rays can now also be sent via email to speed referrals and facilitate prompt care for your pet
The benefits for your pet:
- Images can be sent to specialists via email when a faster response time is needed.
- Since fewer radiographs are needed, exposure to radiation is greatly reduced. After the x-ray has been taken, the image density and contrast can be manipulated to enhance the quality of the image, and thus generally eliminates the need for additional x-rays due to quality.
- Fewer radiographs and no time needed for film development means less time that your pet remains on the x-ray table. Less time on the table means less stress for your pet!
- Our medical staff has access to your pet’s radiographs almost instantly since images appear on a computer screen within 6 seconds. This saved time is crucial in emergency situations, and allows our staff to begin your pet’s medical care more rapidly.
The benefits for the environment:
- There are no chemicals needed to develop the film, and thus no chemicals that need to be disposed of that would be toxic to the environment.
- There are no x-ray films, so there is ultimately less waste associated with digital x-rays.
Source: http://www.randolphanimal.com/services/diagnostic.html