Isabelle Vets use a new Siemens Somatom Scope 16 slice CT scanner.
CT or ‘Computed Tomography’ is a form of x-ray which allows a fan of x-rays to be sent through the patient in thin slices and be picked up by multiple detectors. A computer then takes this information and forms a three-dimensional picture of the anatomy which has been scanned. The addition of a third dimension of image gives the clinician a huge amount more information than a standard 2-D, x-ray. It allows the soft tissue structures of the body to be visualised and highlighted in a way never before possible with normal x-rays and it allows the bones of the skeleton to be seen in three dimensions which are incredibly useful for the diagnosis of complex fractures and developmental disease, but it also allows the surgeon, to see and rotate the actual fractured bones which he or she needs to repair and this enormously aids the planning and implant choice for fracture work.
Cancer screening and looking for metastatic disease is possible now with CT like never before. Abnormal anatomy and obstructions can be seen as actual shapes on a CT scan rather than just as flat 2D shades of grey shadows in a normal x-ray.
CT is carried out with your pet either sedated or anaesthetised in order to keep them still for the test. They are placed on a moving table which travels through a rotating doughnut structure which houses the x-ray machine. Your pet is closely monitored with the help of advanced monitoring equipment during this process. Often a special dye called ‘contrast’ is injected intravenously to help highlight the soft tissues being scanned and provide more detailed information about their makeup.
The test is completed in minutes, and your pet can go home the same day.
The information obtained is fed to a central computer in a control room adjacent to the scanner and the operator then looks at the pictures and ‘reconstructs’ your pet’s anatomy into a 3D image with the help of a very special computer programme. The completed 3D views of your pet will then be available for you to view on dedicated iMac computers in the surgery.
Isabelle Vets has been working closely with some of the UK’s leading veterinary radiologists, and our vets have been undergoing intensive training with these experts to be able to bring this amazing advancement in veterinary diagnostic imaging to our patients.
Our Siemens Somatom 16-slice Computed Tomography (CT) scanner at the new L’Islet surgery is very similar to the unit found at the P.E.H. for use on humans but with pet-friendly software to maximise its capacity. It is an incredible machine, that can build Three-D images of tissue and, unlike most other machines on the market, has the capacity to ‘remove’ artefacts and foreign material such as metal bone plates to clarify images. Our scans are be sent by fast broadband to a specialist team of veterinary radiologists who produce a report within a few hours, providing the information necessary for our surgical or medical vets to enact. This service will provide a dramatic improvement in our capacity to diagnose cancers, foreign bodies, bone injuries, etc. We hope that your pets will benefit from this sophisticated facility.
Our experienced CT Scanner team will carry out a scan on your pet, completed in minutes, and your pet can come back home the same day. Your pet is closely monitored throughout this simple, non-invasive procedure, with the help of advanced monitoring equipment.
Our CT Scanner team is made of experienced and caring veterinary surgeons, who, in most cases, already know you and your pet very well, which further enables us to make a well informed diagnosis based on the CT Scanner results and healthcare history of your pet.
I qualified from Glasgow University in 1995. From there, I headed to North Lancashire before settling in the East Midlands for 13 years- obtaining a Certificate in Small Animal Surgery. I am interested in all aspects of veterinary surgery, especially orthopaedics and gastrointestinal surgery. An additional aspect of my work is in teaching part of the fourth-year undergraduate surgical course at the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science.
I joined Isabelle Vets in 2009 and progressed to become a Director of the Practice. My principal interest is in producing veterinary excellence and in overseeing the progression of the surgical side of the practice, which includes the application of the latest surgical techniques.
I use my spare time to look after my two lovely children and run and enjoy the outdoor delights of Guernsey life.
I graduated from the University of Liverpool in 1999. After an initial spell in general veterinary practice, I moved into equine practice for 11 years before returning to Guernsey in 2012. I undertook additional equine training and have been accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons with a Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice in Equine Dentistry. My interests are veterinary dentistry, equine medicine and orthopaedics. I am a Director of Isabelle Vets.
I have two sons and spend a lot of my spare time with my own animals and at the side of football pitches.
Our reception team will provide you with all of the details that you will require from the time of arrival, what you need to bring, how long the session will last and post-therapy care. We are very keen for owners to be fully involved in each of the sessions to see how much your pet will benefit from this form of therapy.
Contact us for further information or if you have any concerns, we are happy to put your mind at rest.