The Western College of Veterinary Medicine's (WCVM) new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and radiation therapy center for companion animals officially opened its doors in September.
The 357-square-metre facility includes a concrete bunker that will house a radiation therapy unit and a laboratory for an MRI machine that is specifically developed for the imaging of cats, dogs, and other small animals.
The MRI technology is primarily used for diagnosing neurological, spinal, and cranial diseases in companion animals, while radiation is specifically used for cancer therapy. Specialists will use the MRI and radiation technologies together for more accurate and effective treatment of malignant tumors.
“This new center will dramatically enhance the diagnostic and therapeutic services that WCVM offers to companion animals in western Canada,” says Dr. Charles Rhodes, WCVM's Acting Dean. “Pet owners will no longer have to travel to the U.S. for veterinary radiation therapy, and they now have access to an MRI machine that will be primarily used as a diagnostic tool for companion animals.”
The new technologies will also add a new dimension to WCVM's education and research programs. Once the center is fully operating, WCVM will become the first Canadian veterinary college to be equipped for training veterinary students and graduate veterinarians in MRI technology and radiation oncology.
Researchers at WCVM will use the center's facilities to conduct vital research in companion animal health, and to collaborate with other University of Saskatchewan scientists on studies that focus on overlapping aspects of human and animal medicine.
In early October, WCVM specialists began using the MRI machine on clients of WCVM's veterinary teaching hospital. The radiation therapy unit is to be installed, commissioned, and licensed by the end of this year.
The new center will cost nearly $1.4 million once it is equipped.
Ian and Amanda Shirley take part in the grand opening's musical processional.