VCA Veterinary Referral Associates Installs New GE HiSpeed CT System; State-of-the-Art CT Scanner Lets Veterinarians Provide Faster, More Accurate Exams.

GAITHERSBURG, Md. -- VCA Veterinary Referral Associates (VRA), a specialty referral facility, has recently installed a new computed tomography (CT) scanner. The new HiSpeed(TM) CT system from GE Medical Systems was selected because it will dramatically reduce the examination time required, and add to the range of diagnostic imaging procedures offered, for companion animals at VCA VRA.

"The HiSpeed(TM) CT system will increase the efficiency of our veterinarians by allowing them to gather highly accurate data in a very timely manner," said Robert Brawer, DVM, the head of radiology at VCA VRA. "State-of-the-art equipment allows us to provide the level of veterinary care clients have come to expect at our hospital," he 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 patients' 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 treatment and care of pets," said Dr. Brawer. The new high-speed scanner can be used to fully diagnose certain diseases, or as a sophisticated aid in difficult-to-diagnose conditions," he 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.

VCA Veterinary Referral Associates serves the Greater Washington D.C. area. It currently houses 12 specialists, five residents, five interns, and highly trained technical and administrative support personnel. In 1996, VRA joined the VCA Animal Hospital family. VCA Antech, Inc. (Nasdaq:WOOF), operates the largest network of freestanding, full-service animal hospitals across the country and employs more than 1,200 qualified veterinarians at 320 animal hospitals. Offering a full range of general medical and surgical services for companion animals, as well as specialized treatments including advanced diagnostic services, VCA Animal Hospitals is dedicated to the provision of compassionate and comprehensive veterinary care.

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