Bringing advanced diagnostic technology into everyday veterinary practice

Companion MRI owes its beginnings to a simple question. After years of working in diagnostic imaging management, founder Mark Leggett wondered why an MRI scan cost far more when performed on animals than on humans. Up to almost five times more, in fact. He decided to investigate.

He found that not only was veterinary MRI unduly expensive, it was not widely available outside academic centers and a smattering of veterinary specialty hospitals. What’s more, despite providing a safe way to obtain accurate diagnostic information without subjecting animals to exploratory surgery, MRI was vastly underused in veterinary medicine.

As an avid animal lover with a successful track record of building outpatient MRI centers (for people), Mark decided it was time to rethink veterinary MRI. He knew from his 25 years in the industry that breakthroughs in imaging technology were elevating doctors’ diagnostic capabilities. Why shouldn’t MRI do the same for veterinarians?

So in 2006, he founded Companion MRI to provide broader access to advanced MRI technology to help improve veterinary care. Better yet, he vowed to make veterinary MRI more affordable.

Dedicated to advancing veterinary care

Before Companion MRI, MRI technology was often inaccessible and very expensive. Companion MRI bridges the gap between the referring veterinarian and expert veterinary radiologists.

Companion MRI is dedicated to helping all veterinarians realize the possibilities of MRI technology to improve patient care in their everyday practices. When a patient is sent to one of our Companion MRI centers, results of the exam are returned within 24 hours (STAT turnaround available), enabling the referring veterinarian to coordinate appropriate treatment without interrupting the relationship established with the patient. The reviewing radiologist is also available to discuss the results with the veterinarian to determine an accurate diagnosis and the potential need for additional treatment options.

State-of-the-art centers with full veterinary capabilities

Unlike people, animals need to undergo anesthesia during an MRI. This is to ensure the animal is perfectly still throughout the exam, since any motion can produce blurred or unclear images. While the MRI itself is entirely safe for animals, anesthesia may pose some risks, particularly for animals with pre-existing medical conditions.

To provide the utmost safety for animals, all Companion MRI locations are embedded within 24/7 referral centers with full veterinary specialty capabilities and emergency resources. Specially trained veterinary and imaging personnel carefully monitor animals throughout the course of the MRI procedure. Should any complications arise under anesthesia, emergency clinicians and resources are immediately available onsite to provide care as needed.