What can an MRI show in a dog? Tips and Tricks

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MRIs are performed to determine:

  • Problems with the anatomy of the spine
  • Congenital deformities of the spine
  • Bone, disk, ligament or spinal cord injuries after an injury
  • IVDD – (Intervertebral Disc Disease), bulging or herniated disks
  • Diseases in the joints of the spine, like arthritis
  • Compression fractures
  • Compression of the spinal cord and nerves
  • Inflammation of the spinal cord or nerves
  • Infection in the spine
  • Tumors in the spine, nerves or the surrounding soft tissues

    • Click here to read more about Taking Your Dog To A Veterinary Neurologist.

    CAT Scan or CT Scan (Computer Axial Tomography)

    The CAT or CT scan is the second most comprehensive and expensive imaging test. It can cost $1500 – $2000.

    In this test, a dog lies flat on a table that moves through a scanner. It sends x-ray beams through the body from different angles. Sensors detect the beams and send the signals to a computer that turns it into an . As the table moves slowly through the scanner, a new picture is taken at short intervals, each one a little further back or forward from the previous one.

    Because it takes time to complete a CAT Scan, dogs are anesthetized to keep them from moving.

    CAT scans produce s that are white, black, and shades of gray. The different shades of gray is what helps a radiologist identify abnormal tissue.

    Conditions That MRI’s Can Help to Diagnose

    If your dog is suffering from symptoms such as limping, lameness, seizures, joint pain, neck pain, back pain, or paralysis, your vet may recommend an MRI to help diagnose the cause of your dogs symptoms. MRI scans can be used to help diagnose a wide range of conditions in dogs including:

  • Spinal disc tumor, herniated discs, or stenosis
  • Brain tumor, inflammation, or abscess
  • Stroke
  • Musculoskeletal diseases and injuries such as ruptured cranial cruciate ligament or shoulder instability
  • Abdomen conditions indicated by organ enlargement or a tumor

    • For pets and people, an MRI scan takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour and requires the patient to be absolutely still for the entire time. As you can imagine, trying to coax a dog to stay completely still, in a strange machine, for 45 minutes would be an impossible task. For that reason, general anesthetic is used on dogs undergoing an MRI scan. Vets typically recommend blood tests and X-rays be done before the MRI to help ensure that your pet is strong enough to be put under general anesthetic.

    Dog MRI | Studying The Dog Brain | Inside the Animal Mind | BBC Earth

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most advanced imaging technique used in veterinary medicine. MRI provides detailed s of internal structures and reveal subtle abnormalities that cannot be identified with radiographs or CT scans. In some disease processes, MRI is the only imaging technique that can permit an accurate diagnosis. It is also the safest imaging modality for can evaluation of the spinal cord. MRI is considered the gold standard of diagnostic imaging for diseases of the brain and spinal cord.