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IT IS difficult to talk about radiography without firstly taking a look at the underlying technology involved. X-rays are technically a special type of radiation produced by an X-ray machine. X-rays are powerful enough to pass though the tissues of the body, but as they do so the X-rays are absorbed differentially, depending on the densities of the tissues being penetrated.
A piece of film placed under your pet records the X-rays that pass through the tissues without being absorbed.
When the film is developed it produces a black and white image called a radiograph.
So how can radiography be of help in diagnosing problems in your pet? It is a huge subject, but here are just a few examples.
One of the structures that is seen best on radiographs is the skeletal system.
Radiography is very helpful when looking at bone fractures, joint problems (such as hip dysplasia) and spinal conditions — to name just three!
Turning to other areas of the body, radiography of the chest allows us to assess the heart and lungs, whilst radiography of the abdomen allows us to visualise internal organs such as the liver, spleen, kidneys, bladder and intestines.
As you can see radiography allows us to “look inside” your pet without having to do an operation. The information it gives us helps us to make a diagnosis in a huge range of conditions — not just bone fractures!
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