Cardiology Consultation ServicesCardiology: Echocardiogram ConsultA board-certified veterinary cardiologist provides a written interpretation of an echocardiogram in conjunction with the patient’s medical history.Cardiology: ECG & Echocardiogram ConsultA board-certified veterinary cardiologist provides a written interpretation of the ECG and echocardiogram in conjunction with the patient’s medical history.Cardiology: Radiographs & Echocardiogram ConsultA board-certified veterinary cardiologist provides a written interpretation of submitted radiographs and an echocardiogram in conjunction with the patient’s medical history.Radiographs submitted under this service are reviewed by the cardiologist.Cardiology: ECG, Echocardiogram & Radiograph ConsultA board-certified veterinary cardiologist provides a written interpretation of the ECG, echocardiogram, and submitted radiographs in conjunction with the patient’s medical history.Radiographs submitted under this service are reviewed by the cardiologist.Radiograph Interpretation Options with EchocardiographyRadiographs may be submitted either to Cardiology or to Radiology in conjunction with an echocardiogram, depending on the clinical question and desired scope of interpretation.Radiographs submitted to CardiologyWhen radiographs are sent to Cardiology, the cardiologist’s interpretation is focused specifically on cardiac-related structures, including the heart, lungs, and associated vasculature, as they relate to cardiac disease.Radiographs submitted to RadiologyWhen radiographs are sent to Radiology, a board-certified veterinary radiologist is required to systematically evaluate every visible structure in every image, including all organs, tissues, bones, and incidental findings.Radiology reports are diagnostic and descriptive in nature and do not include therapeutic recommendations (e.g., medication selection or dosing), which are typically provided by cardiologists when appropriate.Billing & Reporting ConsiderationsWhen radiographs are submitted to Radiology in addition to an echocardiogram, there is a higher associated cost. This reflects that the imaging studies are interpreted by two different specialists (Cardiology and Radiology), processed through separate departments, and result in two distinct written reports.Radiograph Submission RequirementsAll radiographs submitted for interpretation must be provided in DICOM (.dcm) format, as required for diagnostic image quality and specialist review. Radiographs may be uploaded through the patient information form during the online booking process. If assistance is needed with exporting or converting images to DICOM format, please contact IDEXX or your radiography software/equipment provider.
