In my practice, I primarily work with dogs and cats with brain or spinal disease. Most frequently I am dealing with herniated discs or tumors.

In my exam room I can determine whether an animal has neurological disease and its approximate location and the probable cause with a high degree of certainty. However, determining exact cause and location often requires more advance diagnostics, such as MR imaging.

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The Iam’s Pet Imaging Center in Raleigh, NC has been an asset to our referring veterinarians and clients.  Our surgical specialty practice, Veterinary Surgical Referral Practice (VSRP) in Cary, NC, has utilized the MRI center since its opening during the summer of 2004. 

Many of our neurosurgical (and orthopedic) patients now benefit from MR imaging rather than myelography, as the studies are more precise and informative.  We place great confidence in the expertise of the Iams’ Imaging staff and we experience excellent communication with their radiologists, Drs. Donald Thrall and Ian Robertson. 

The staff of VSRP believes that this center has been of great benefit to both our dog and cat patients and their owners.

 Jack Gallagher DVM, DACVS

Dr. Natasha Olby

Diagnosis of medical disorders starts with evaluation of the signs exhibited by the patient, may include assessment of a variety of blood tests and frequently involves obtaining actual images of the abnormal body part. Diagnosing neurological disorders can be very challenging because the central nervous system, (the brain and spinal cord), are protected by the skull and the vertebral column.

The protection afforded by these bones is vital to the soft tissue of the nervous system, but it does make imaging difficult. In the past neurologists relied on myelography and computed tomography to image the spinal cord and brain respectively. Although these tests can be very useful, both have limitations with respect to the diseases that can be detected and, in the case of myelography, safety to the patient.

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