Manhattan's Fifth Avenue Veterinary Specialists Installs New GE HiSpeed(TM) CT System; State-of-the-Art CT Scanner Lets Veterinarians Provide Faster, More Accurate Exams.

NEW YORK -- Fifth Avenue Veterinary Specialists (FAVS), New York's newest specialty referral and 24-hour emergency care facility, has installed a new computed tomography (CT) scanner. The new HiSpeed(TM) CT system from GE Medical Systems was selected because it will significantly add to the range of diagnostic imaging procedures offered at FAVS for companion animals and dramatically reduce the examination time required. FAVS is one of the few facilities in the country to make available to its patients this type of CT Scanner, which employs the latest, state-of-the-art technology.

"The HiSpeed(TM) CT system will increase the efficiency of our specialists by allowing them to obtain highly accurate data very quickly," said Sheri L. Berger, DVM, DACVO medical director at FAVS. "State-of-the-art equipment allows us to provide the level and quality of specialty veterinary care clients have come to expect at our hospital," she added.

Computed tomography is a medical diagnostic radiographic tool that allows the visualization of internal structures within the body. The GE HiSpeed(TM) CT system incorporates the newest CT technology to diagnose disease, internal abnormalities, and trauma. The system's software allows veterinary professionals to more efficiently focus on the patient's needs, rather than on programming the scanner. All of the tasks required for a single CT exam, including the creation of multiple image reconstructions and films, imaging archiving and network transfers, are completed automatically.

"Imaging can be an essential medical tool for the diagnosis and treatment of pets," said Dr. Berger. "Our new high-speed scanner can be used to fully diagnose certain diseases, or as an advanced aid for difficult-to-diagnose or complex conditions," she continued. Common areas requiring advanced imaging include the head (nose, sinuses, orbits of the eye, brain, middle ear), chest (lungs, esophagus, heart), abdomen (stomach, intestines, kidneys, liver, spleen, urinary bladder, adrenal glands), spine, bones and joints.

The GE scanner also features helical scanning which allows veterinarians to acquire increased data, quickly and easily, while the patient makes a single pass through the CT gantry. Helical scanning also provides veterinarians with volume data, which can be manipulated further via various post-processing analysis programs. This technology allows veterinarians to look at slices of anatomy as thin as 1.0 mm and as thick as 10 mm.

Fifth Avenue Veterinary Specialists (FAVS), New York City's newest specialty-only and 24-hour emergency care facility, is a unique referral animal facility. Located in the heart of lower Manhattan, FAVS offers a full spectrum of specialty services, including emergency and critical care, internal medicine, oncology, ophthalmology and orthopedic and soft tissue surgery. In partnership with referring veterinarians, FAVS is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards with a team of specialists, nurses and support staff to ensure pets receive the very best specialty and emergency care.

For more information about Fifth Avenue Veterinary Specialists, please visit the Web site at www.fifthavevetspecialists.com.

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