Digital X-rays, ultrasound, VISTA iQ lump screening help Dr Hawkins investigate health concerns and plan care. We combine diagnostic technology with a physical examination and your pet’s history.
Modern imaging, veterinary judgment
Digital radiographs help assess bones, joints, and internal structures. AI-assisted radiology adds another review tool; Dr Hawkins interprets the findings and makes the clinical decisions. Ultrasound helps evaluate soft tissues and internal organs.
VISTA iQ
Lump and Bump Cancer Screening for Dogs
We know how concerning it can be to find a lump or bump on your dog. That’s why we’re proud to offer a new way to screen canine lumps and bumps with the VISTA iQ. This advanced, gentle cancer-screening tool helps us assess the cancer risk of lumps in or beneath your dog’s skin without needles or invasive sampling during the scan.
Around half of dogs aged 10 and older develop cancer. Assessing new or changing lumps promptly can help us identify potential problems and discuss the next steps for your dog’s care. That’s why we’ve invested in this technology.
What is the VISTA iQ?
The VISTA iQ is a non-invasive screening tool designed specifically for dogs. It helps us assess lumps and bumps quickly and comfortably, with no needles involved in the scan.
Why pet owners love it
- No needles during screening
- A quick, 40-second scan
- Results in about 2 minutes
- Validated, AI-assisted cancer risk assessment
- Comfortable and generally well-tolerated by dogs
How does it work?
The VISTA iQ uses Heat Diffusion Imaging (HDI). During the scan, the device gently warms the tissue and measures how it warms up and cools down.
Healthy and unhealthy tissues can warm and cool at different rates because of differences in blood supply, metabolism, and tissue structure. A trained and validated artificial intelligence system analyzes these patterns to produce a screening result in about two minutes.
Understanding your dog’s results
The report for each successfully scanned lump includes:
- A cancer risk level: low, moderate, or high
- An estimated cancer risk percentage
- A diagnostic alert when the scan meets the system’s specific criteria
Dr. Hawkins reviews the result alongside your dog’s examination and history, explains what it means, and recommends the next step. A screening result does not replace an aspirate or biopsy when one is recommended, and a low-risk result cannot guarantee that a lump is benign.