Why is patient positioning so crucial in veterinary imaging?

Proper patient positioning is crucial for veterinary technicians and veterinarians to achieve optimal image quality and accurate diagnostic results. Patient positioning directly influences the effectiveness of imaging by reducing motion artifacts, optimizing contrast resolution, and ensuring that the targeted anatomy is captured in the most diagnostically useful planes.

Improved Image Quality – Correct positioning minimizes common imaging artifacts, such as patient motion and partial volume averaging, leading to clearer and more diagnostic images​​.

Standardization of Techniques – Ensuring that patients are positioned consistently allows for reproducible results, which is especially important for follow-up imaging and comparative studies​.

Maximization of Equipment Capabilities – CT and MRI systems are designed to function optimally when patients are positioned according to specific protocols. These videos can help techs and veterinarians understand the best use of coils, table alignment, and contrast timing​​.

Reduction in Rescans – Suboptimal positioning often leads to the need for repeat scans, increasing anesthesia time, radiation exposure (for CT), and operational costs. Proper training reduces these inefficiencies​.

Enhanced Safety and Patient Comfort – Proper positioning not only improves image quality but also ensures that the patient remains stable and comfortable, reducing stress and movement during scanning​.

Better Identification of Pathology – Specific diseases require precise imaging planes for accurate diagnosis. For example, in musculoskeletal MRI, ensuring proper limb positioning helps avoid artifacts such as the magic angle effect, which can mimic pathology.

By demonstrating best practices for positioning, these videos will help veterinary professionals maximize the diagnostic value of MRI, CT, and radiography, leading to better patient outcomes and more efficient use of imaging resources.