RT Journal Article
T1 Clinical Feasibility Studies and Potential Applications of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Integrated in Multimodality X-Ray System for Small Animals
A1 Mínguez Pereira, Elena
A1 Sanderson, Daniel
A1 Abella, Mónica
A1 Ye, Xiaolin
A1 León, Nerea
A1 Sisniega, Alejandro
A1 Arco, Juan Manuel
A1 García Real, María Isabel
AB Veterinary medicine uses advanced imaging to visualize internal structures non-invasively, allowing precise diagnosis and treatment planning without exploratory surgery. Digital radiography is accessible and provides rapid information, but its two-dimensional nature with overlapping tissues can hinder the visualization of pathologies. Computed tomography, a three-dimensional imaging technique that uses a rotating X-ray source to build volumetric images, solves the tissue overlapping. This study evaluated a prototype of a new multimodality veterinary imaging system that combines digital X-rays, real-time moving X-ray imaging (fluoroscopy), and cone-beam computed tomography in a single device. Image quality was first optimized using animal specimens and then compared with images obtained with a conventional device: a multidetector computed tomography scanner. The prototype provided excellent bone detail, with slight dark-streak artifacts caused by the limited angular range required by the open-gantry design that crucially allows animal access. Clinical use in live patients showed that this device facilitated the detection of small fractures and mineralized structures that were indistinct on conventional radiographies. By integrating multiple imaging modalities into one unit, the system improved workflow and reduced patients’ sedation time. These results indicate that this device has strong potential for enhancing diagnostic capabilities in small-animal and exotic species practice.
PB MDPI
YR 2026
FD 2026
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/134351
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/134351
LA eng
NO Mínguez-Pereira, E., Sanderson, D., Abella, M., Ye, X., León, N., Sisniega, A., Arco, J. M., & García-Real, M. I. (2026). Clinical Feasibility Studies and Potential Applications of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Integrated in Multimodality X-Ray System for Small Animals. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 16(5), 763. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16050763
NO Author ContributionsConceptualization: E.M.-P. and M.I.G.-R.; Methodology: E.M.-P. and M.I.G.-R.; Formal analysis: E.M.-P. and M.I.G.-R.; Investigation: E.M.-P. and M.I.G.-R.; Resources: D.S., M.A., X.Y., N.L., A.S. and J.M.A.; Writing—original draft: E.M.-P., D.S. and A.S.; Writing—review and editing: E.M.-P., D.S., M.A., X.Y., N.L., A.S., J.M.A. and M.I.G.-R.; Visualization: E.M.-P. and M.I.G.-R. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript
NO Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España)
NO European Commission
DS Docta Complutense
RD 7 abr 2026