Diagnostic Imaging

Our Services

The Diagnostic Imaging Service at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Ohio State provides complete diagnostic imaging services (radiology) to all hospital patients. Our professional faculty and staff offer excellent, timely service to our veterinary patients and their clinicians.

Service Highlights

• 5 full-time, board-certified radiologists; 6 radiology residents; 5 technologists; 1 ultrasonography technologist; 1 office staff
• Digital radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and nuclear medicine services
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the Wright Center for Biomedical Innovation

Appointments & Office Hours

Radiology hours: 8:30am - 5:30pm, Monday-Friday
Emergency radiology and ultrasound: Available at any time

What to Expect

All imaging patients are referred to Radiology by a clinical service within the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (e.g., surgery, internal medicine, oncology, neurology, cardiology, dermatology). Your primary care VTH clinician will explain the results of the imaging examination to you. If necessary, the radiologists are available for consultation. Preliminary imaging reports are available the day of the examination, with final reports available the following morning.

Special Equipment & Technology

• Digital radiography: 3 small animal radiology machines, fluoroscopy, and 2 dedicated large animal radiology suites
• Two diagnostic ultrasound machines
• Nuclear medicine suite equipped with large and small field-of-view gamma cameras; motion correction software
• Helical CT scanner for rapid patient imaging; custom-built large animal CT table for horse and farm animals up to 2,000 lbs.

Common Conditions & Procedures

• Chest, abdominal, and musculoskeletal radiography, radiographs for Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) submission
• Special radiographic procedures: myelography, excretory urography and cystography, fluoroscopic examination of the esophagus and trachea, barium gastrointestinal studies, and arthrography
• Ultrasound examinations: Abdominal and thoracic ultrasound. Needle aspirates and biopsies using ultrasound guidance.
• Nuclear medicine examinations: bone scans in horses, thyroid studies in cats, including I131 hyperthyroid therapy, and evaluation for portosystemic shunts and renal disorders
• CT examinations: assessment of diseases of the head, spine, ears, chest, and abdomen, bones and joints. When necessary, CT can be used to guide needle biopsies

Clinicians

Radiology Faculty

• Wm. Tod Drost, DVM, Diplomate ACVR, Associate Professor and Head, Section of Radiology
• Rita Echandi, DVM, Diplomate ACVR, Assistant Professor
• Eric Green, DVM, Diplomate ACVR (Radiology and Radiation Oncology), Clinical Associate Professor
• Valerie Samii, DVM, Diplomate ACVR, Associate Professor
• Lisa Zekas, DVM, Diplomate ACVR, ABVP (Equine), Clinical Assistant Professor

Residents

• Nathan Nelson, DVM
• David Reese, DVM
• Kari Childs, DVM
• Julie Knuppel, DVM
• Patrick Grimm, DVM
• Shona McMahon, DVM

Radiology Film Referral Service

Imaging study interpretation is available through the Radiology Service by mail-in or courier service. Fees: $45 for radiographs and $75 for CT or MRI interpretation.

Referring Veterinarians

Please see our referral guide.