One thing you're getting wrong in feline thoracic imaging
According to Dr. Pollard, a radiograph alone won't give you the answer you're looking for when you suspect a veterinary patient's heart is abnormal.
The biggest single problem with feline thoracic imaging? According to imaging expert and Fetch dvm360 conference speaker Rachel Pollard, DVM, PhD, DACVR, it's interpreting whether or not the heart is abnormal. And it's not just a problem for general practitioners-radiologists struggle with this too.
"My personal opinion is that unless the heart is enormous on a set of radiographs, it's almost impossible to know for sure if it's abnormal or not," Dr. Pollard says.
Her advice? Weigh the findings from a physical exam as heavily as you do radiographic findings. If there's any question whatsoever, "you have to do an echocardiogram," she says. "That's just the only way to know."
Here it straight from Dr. Pollard in the video below:
