Imaging the Neurologic Dog: Part 1: Considerations for Radiography

Imaging is an important component of the clinical evaluation of neurologic patients, with radiography, computed tomography (CT), and MRI most commonly used. There are unique advantages, drawbacks, and clinical indications for each of these imaging modalities. While radiography is readily available in most practices and can diagnose many clinically relevant conditions, cross-sectional imaging (CT and MRI) is more adept at characterizing the location and extent of disease and identifying subtle disease conditions, especially primary disease of the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. This article discusses the role of radiography in the evaluation of neurologic patients.