SVEK13043U Veterinary Imaging

Volume 2024/2025
Education

MSc Programme in Veterinary Medicine - compulsory

Content

This course covers imaging and topographic anatomy, focusing on anatomical features in the head, neck, thoracic and pelvic limbs, thorax, and abdomen, particularly in dogs, cats, and equine limbs.

It also introduces radiation safety and biology, emphasizing X-rays, their effects on biological tissues, dose limits, and highly important radiation safety measures. The basics of conventional radiographic imaging are covered, including X-ray production, image quality factors, positioning, and terminology.

The course also introduces ultrasound imaging, including physical principles, echogenicity, frequency, and machine settings.

Lastly, MRI, CT, and nuclear medicine are introduced, and their physical principles and clinical applications are explained.

Learning Outcome

 Knowledge

  • Discuss the risk associated with radiographic practice and relate them to commonly encountered, non-radiological risks.
  • Account for the suitability of various imaging modalities in response to selected clinical scenarios.
  • Identify features indicating correct patient restraint, positioning, beam collimation and centering in standard radiographic views, and comment on digital image or film processing as appropriate.
  • Identify and name relevant normal and abnormal anatomical structures on images produced by different imaging modalities.
  • Recognise images produced by radiography, ultrasound, scintigraphy, CT, MRI.


Skills

  • Choose the appropriate imaging modality for common clinical presentations.
  • Pland and perform a radiographical examination with standard radiographic projections, in a safe manner, from canine, feline and equine patients.
  • Use appropriate digital software for digital imaging.
  • Demonstrate a methodical approch to image evaluation of radiographs, and ultrasound.
  • Identify normal and abnormal radiographic findings on radiographic images in selected cases commonly encountered in veterinary practice.
  • Discuss the radiographic changes that are commonly encountered in common diseases in dogs, cats and horses.
  • Recognize and find normal abdominal organs commonly encountered in ultrasound examinations.


Competencies

  • Speculate on and discuss the changes one might expect to encounter given various disease scenarios.
  • Behave in accordance with the current legislation (Law number 23 of January 15th 2018, Bekendtgørelse nr 669 af 01/07/2019, nr 670 af 01/​07/​2019, Bekendtgørelse nr 671 af 01/07/2019).
Literature

Textbook of Veterinary Diagnostic Radiology 7. ed. 2018 (Editor: Thrall) ISBN 9780323482479·

Chapter 4 in Small Animal Ultrasound by Nyland og Mattoon, 3rd edition (2015)

Lecture notes and compendia that are available on Absalon.

Law number 23 of January 15th 2018, Lov om ioniserende stråling og strålebeskyttelse (strålebeskyttelsesloven) 

Bekendtgørelse nr 669 af 01/​07/​2019, Bekendtgørelse om ioniserende stråling og strålebeskyttelse 

Bekendtgørelse nr 670 af 01/​07/​2019, Bekendtgørelse om brug af radioaktive stoffer 

Bekendtgørelse  nr 671 af 01/​07/​2019 Bekendtgørelse om brug af strålingsgeneratorer 

Strålehygiejne ved røntgenundersøgelse af dyr. Sundhedsstyrelsen, 2002. (available at the Absalon site)

Veterinær brug af transportabelt røntgenapparater, Sundhedsstyrelsen 2016 (available at the Absalon site)

Approved course certificate of course Medicin, kirurgi og reproduktion - mindre husdyr and SVEK13005U Medicin, kirurgi og reproduktion - store husdyr SVEK13004U.
The course runs over 5 weeks. In the first week (the introduction module) all students are introduced to different disciplines within veterinary imaging (theoretical lectures). In the following 2 x 4 weeks students are split in 2 large groups rotating between 4 weeks on the Veterinary Imaging course and 4 weeks on the other course in the block.

The veterinary imaging rotation (the 4 weeks rotation) consists of a theoretical practical module including interpretation paradigms and radiographic anatomy, a practical module concerning appropriate radiographic technique and exercises in ultrasonography and finally a clinical case module including interpretation of small and large animal radiology, CT and MRI.

The teaching is comprised of lectures, seminars, group work, e-learning, as well as individual obligatory practical exercises and tests that must be approved in order to obtain the course certificate. Supervised work including e-learning and guided cases in order to facilitate the students’ learning of the methodology and principles of diagnostic imaging.

Theoretical module / Introduction week: 5 sessions 13.00 – 17.00, Friday also 9-12:30.
- Monday: Introduction and Radiation safety and radiobiology
- Tuesday: Radiographic anatomy
- Wednesday: Basic radiology, principles of diagnostic imaging
- Friday: Diagnostic imaging physics - Main focus on radiography and ultrasonography

Practical modules: 4 weeks 08.30 to 14.30 or 9.00-15.00
- Theoretical/practical module: 6 days of lectures/exercises covering radiographic anatomy, companion animal and equine imaging.
- Practical module: 6 days of clinical exercises of basic radiography and ultrasound including radiation safety and radiobiology in companion animals and horses.
- Case module: 5 days of case interpretation including small and large animal radiology, CT and MRI.

Evaluation model: Survey-based model
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 14
  • Preparation
  • 78
  • Theory exercises
  • 5
  • Practical exercises
  • 60
  • E-Learning
  • 27
  • Project work
  • 18
  • Exam
  • 4
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Collective
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Continuous assessment, 4 x 1 hour
Practical oral examination, 15 minutes
Type of assessment details
4 hours exam. Questions cover radiation safety and radiobiology, radiology (X-ray) imaging, ultrasound, CT, MRI and scintigraphy. Questions on all modalities evaluate an understanding of the underlying imaging principles and on radiology and ultrasound imaging will test understanding and skills required to evaluate clinical images in small and large animals.

The examination will take the form of assignments that run throughout the course. The assignments may include multiple choice questions, short answer questions or short essay questions and peer-reviewed activities. The practical part includes an OSCE-based radiographic task.
Exam registration requirements

Students have to participate actively in at least 80% of the practical course, defined as 80% attendance in each module.

During the course, students must show that they are able to satisfactorily perform practical clinical tasks regarding radiation safety, normal radiographic practice, and the use of other imaging modalities.

Students have to participate actively in the course. This includes submission and peer-review of assignments as required. They must perform acceptably during the obligatory practical and theoretical exercises and tests in order to obtain a course certificate of approval.

Aid
Only certain aids allowed

Reference materials appropriate to the exam format will be allowed. This will range from no material allowed for the practical to all material alowed for some of the other assignment formats. Students will be informed during the course prior to the specific assignments.

Marking scale
passed/not passed
Censorship form
No external censorship
No censorship. One examiner.
Criteria for exam assesment

To pass the  running examinations during the course including the online  examination the student shall demonstrate, at an adequate level:

Knowledge

  • Comment on the risks associated with radiographic practice and relate them to commonly encountered, non-radiological risks.
  • Identify features indicating correct patient restraint, positioning, beam collimation and focusing in standard radiographic views, and comment on digital image or film processing as appropriate.
  • Identify and name relevant normal and abnormal anatomical structures on images produced by different imaging modalities.
  • Recognise images produced by each of the methods, scintigraphy, CT, MRI.


Skills

  • Choose the appropriate imaging modality for common clinical presentations.
  • Plan and perform a standard radiological examination.
  • Be able to produce a selection of common radiographic projections in a safe manner from canine, feline and equine patients.
  • Perform a basic abdominal ultrasound examination.
  • Demonstrate a methodical approch to image evaluation of radiographs and CT images.
  •  

Competencies

  • Behave in accordance with current Danish legislation (currently Law number 23 of January 15th 2018, Lov om ioniserende stråling og strålebeskyttelse (strålebeskyttelsesloven), Bekendtgørelse nr 669 af 01/07/2019, nr 670 af 01/​07/​2019, Bekendtgørelse nr 671 af 01/07/2019)
  • Choose the appropriate imaging modality for common clinical presentations.