Picture the scene – your pet is poorly, and the vet says they need a scan. But then they say they have to travel miles and miles to a specialist hospital – why is that? Why doesn’t your vet have the kit to do it? And is the expensive extra scan REALLY necessary? Vet blogger Rachel Hinks reports.

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What is an MRI scan?

MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging. It is a type of scan that uses magnetic fields to produce images of the body. It is a very large piece of equipment with a tube that your pet will go inside during the scan. As large magnets are contained within the equipment no metal is allowed inside. Specialists interpret the scan results and produce a report. This will be discussed with you and a copy sent to your vets.

To accurately get the scan, your dog will need to be under a general anaesthetic to keep them still as movement during the scan can affect the images produced. It also means your dog won’t be unduly frightened by being inside the scanner as they will be anaesthetised.

Why can’t it be done at my normal vets?

To buy an MRI machine and maintain it is very costly (usually in 6 or 7 figures), so unfortunately most smaller practices cannot afford to do so. It would also need to be used regularly and serviced by a regulated company; again adding to the cost for a small practice. The size of the machinery also means a large space is required in addition to the usual practice rooms. And most practices sadly do not have the space.

Why might it be advised?

Often an MRI scan is advised by your vet to try to diagnose a condition and find out what is causing the symptoms they are showing. It often forms part of the tests done to try to get to the root cause. Sometimes tests by your own vet have been inconclusive or not been accurate enough to get an answer. Other imaging such as radiographs may have been taken first to try to assess the problem. But if a level of detail is required, or further imaging, then an MRI is needed.

An MRI scan shows detailed images of both soft tissues and harder tissues such as bones. It also gives additional detail that other types of imaging cannot, such as the nerve supply and blood supply to organs. It is particularly useful for assessing the brain and spinal cord, which is a difficult area to assess using other imaging.

Occasionally an MRI scan is used to check on the progression of a disease over time, although this is more common in humans to identify any re-growth or potential spread of cancer.

What to expect

It can be a lot to take in when you are told your dog needs an MRI scan and you may feel overwhelmed or confused. It may be worth considering writing a list of questions for your vet, or the referral practice, if you have concerns or things you wish to know beforehand. The referral practice or hospital will contact you directly to book an appointment and give you any relevant information.

It may be that your dog will be an outpatient for the day, only having the MRI then returning back to you. Or it might be that your dog is unwell and requires a hospital stay of a few days or longer. A rough estimate of costs will be given to you as an indication, and they can assist with understanding your insurance information (if applicable). Your dog will be cared for and, if staying for a few days, regular updates will be given to you.

What it can show

As explained above an MRI scan can show many things in more detail that a radiograph or 2D image, the blood flow to organs can be assessed and even tiny abnormalities in the body can be identified. An MRI scan is advanced imaging that can even allow surgical planning such as the exact size of metal implants to be calculated and the location to gain the best entry into the body. Often the scan is looking at one area of the body in particular such as the CNS (central nervous system, consisting of the brain, nerves, spinal cord) and allows detailed images to be produced to assess, diagnose and plan moving forward.

Being informed that your dog needs an MRI scan can be a daunting and emotional time. You may be concerned about your dog, the cost of the scan and any further treatment depending upon findings. Speak to your vet about your concerns as they can help you to process the information and work through everything. Your dog will be in the best hands possible.

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