VETERINARY CT DECISION GUIDE
Build your CT requirements profile
Answer nine focused questions. You will receive a primary direction, a close alternative, and a clear explanation based on your clinical, patient, workflow, facility, and program needs.
Why this recommendation is objective: Patterson offers the largest selection of veterinary CT and MRI systems in North America. Because we support multiple CT technologies and manufacturers, this guide starts with your clinical and operational needs—not a predetermined model.
YOUR CT REQUIREMENTS PROFILE
PRIMARY STARTING DIRECTION
Why we made this recommendation
This direction is generated from the priorities you selected. It is not based on practice type alone.
What to verify before deciding
CLOSE ALTERNATIVE TO COMPARE
Three questions to confirm with an imaging specialist
Review the answers used for this recommendation
This guide provides a planning direction, not a final equipment specification. Final selection should confirm clinical protocols, patient range, room dimensions, shielding, power, anesthesia workflow, service coverage, training, budget, and local regulatory requirements.
Find the Right CT for Your Veterinary Practice
Start with your clinical goals—not a model number. The best system is the one that matches the cases you want to diagnose, the patients you serve, your available space, and the workflow your team can support.
1. What do you need to image?
- Dentistry and ENT: prioritize fine spatial detail and practical patient positioning.
- Orthopedic and spinal cases: consider field of view, reconstruction tools, and image quality around dense anatomy.
- Thoracic and abdominal cases: prioritize dependable soft-tissue performance and efficient full-body workflows.
- Emergency and specialty care: consider scan speed, patient access, broad clinical versatility, and service coverage.
- Advanced research or referral applications: evaluate higher-capability CT or MRI configurations with an imaging specialist.
2. Which CT technology fits?
Cone Beam CT
A strong fit for many general practices focused on dentistry, ENT, orthopedic, spinal, and selected pulmonary applications. Cone beam systems can offer excellent spatial detail with a workflow designed for veterinary use.
Helical CT
Designed for fast, versatile small-animal imaging, including soft tissue, thoracic, abdominal, orthopedic, and spinal studies. Helical CT can be a practical bridge between focused cone beam applications and larger multislice systems.
Multislice CT
A broad-capability option for emergency, specialty, referral, and higher-volume practices. Available configurations vary widely, making application requirements, slice count, service history, installation needs, and budget important parts of the decision.
3. Plan beyond the scanner
A successful imaging program also depends on:
- Room dimensions, power, shielding, and installation requirements
- Patient positioning and anesthesia workflow
- Technician and veterinarian training
- Image interpretation and teleradiology support
- Preventive maintenance, warranty coverage, and technical service
- Case volume, pricing strategy, and return on investment
Take the next step
Explore the CT and MRI systems Patterson offers or talk to an advanced imaging specialist for a practice-specific recommendation.