Veterinary CT return planner

Start with the cases your practice already sees.

Estimate CT return from the anatomy you expect to scan, the fee you expect to collect, and the procedures those studies may support. Then compare that potential with the monthly cost of the program.

Build your estimate
Choose the business modelScans alone or scans that lead to appropriate care.
Build the anatomy mixDental, skull, extremity, spine, and body studies.
See the monthly thresholdCompare potential contribution with financing and operating costs.

Build one understandable scenario.

The example below follows the anatomy, scan volume, fees, and resulting procedures in your CT ROI worksheet. Replace every value with the practice’s own expected collections and costs.

Illustrative worksheet example: these values are not industry benchmarks, reimbursement guidance, a quote, or a promise of financial performance.
Step 1

How should CT create value?

Both views use the same scan mix. The second also includes conservative contribution from resulting procedures.

Step 2

What will you scan each week?

Enter the likely weekly case mix, expected CT fee, and potential contribution from resulting care.

Anatomy and common next stepScans
/ week		Expected
CT fee		Procedure contribution
/ week
DentalExtractions
SkullBiopsy or surgery
ExtremitySurgery or treatment
Spine / backSurgery or injections
Thorax / abdomenSurgery or biopsy
Use contribution—not the full procedure invoice. Enter the amount expected to remain after the direct cost of the procedure, and include only care CT reasonably influences and the hospital expects to retain.
Step 3

What must the program cover each month?

Keep this short. Combine the smaller costs into one honest monthly estimate.

Worksheet example: equipment, tax, and freight.
Replace with the lender’s written quote.
Contrast, supplies, incremental labor, and teleradiology.
Service, software, QA, compliance, and staffing.
Advanced assumptionsOptional controls for collections, operating schedule, ramp-up, growth, and upfront cash.
Leave at 100% if the fee is already the expected collected amount. Procedure contribution should already be net.
Allows for holidays, maintenance, and reduced schedules.
Models the time needed to build referrals, confidence, and team adoption.
Applied to years three through five; fixed costs are held constant.
Subtracted once from the first-year and five-year cash views.
The supplied worksheet leaves clinical, interpretation, service, and other operating costs at zero. Add them here before using the result in a purchase decision.

Where the potential return comes from.

Use this view to check whether the modeled value matches the hospital’s real case mix and clinical capabilities.

What if weekly volume changes?

This quick range holds fees, costs, and the selected business model constant. It is a planning check—not a forecast.

Conservative · 75%—monthly cash
Planned · 100%—monthly cash
Upside · 125%—monthly cash

Keep the math honest

Simple does not have to mean vague.

The model separates revenue created by CT studies from contribution created by resulting care. It then subtracts the costs the program must cover each month.

Direct CT contributionWeekly scans × (entered CT fee × collection realization − clinical and interpretation cost per scan).
Procedure contributionThe editable weekly amount expected to remain after direct procedure costs. It is excluded in the scan-revenue-only model.
Monthly cash contributionAnnualized contribution ÷ 12 − monthly payment − other monthly program costs. Annualization uses the selected operating weeks.
Ramp and five-year viewYear one uses the selected utilization rate. Year two uses planned volume; growth begins in year three. Upfront cash is subtracted once.
Important: “Project ÷ monthly contribution” is a simple gross-equivalent reference, not a payback period or ROI. This educational estimate is not accounting, tax, legal, financing, reimbursement, or investment advice. Validate case volume, collections, costs, facility scope, financing, service, staffing, and clinical capacity with qualified advisors and written quotes.

From estimate to written plan

Keep the scenario and review it with a person.

The short form carries the business model, anatomy assumptions, costs, and calculated results into Airtable. You receive a personalized PDF link by email, and Chris receives the same context for follow-up.

Email my personalized summary

Veterinary Advanced Imaging Advisor is independently maintained by Chris Weaver, National Imaging Manager at Patterson Veterinary. This is not an official Patterson Companies website.