Innovations in Wildlife Radiology
Woe betide the rhinoceros radiologist. “Radiologists are very comfortable with dogs, cats, horses, and cows,” remarked Dr. Michael Adkesson, the president and chief executive of Brookfield Zoo Chicago. However, when it comes to peering inside a critically endangered, 2,300-pound black rhino, they may quickly find themselves navigating uncharted territory.
In 2018, after one of the zoo’s rhinos developed perplexing breathing issues, Dr. Adkesson and his team successfully performed a CT scan of the rhino’s head. This groundbreaking endeavor left them pondering a critical question: what should the interior of a rhinoceros head even look like?
“With zoo and wildlife animals,” Dr. Adkesson explained, “we often just don’t have reliable reference data available.” This lack of information can hinder veterinarians’ ability to diagnose and treat these majestic creatures effectively.
To address this significant gap in knowledge, Dr. Adkesson and his colleagues launched the Zoo and Aquarium Radiology Database, which was unveiled last month. This innovative online resource is a collaborative effort involving seven zoological institutions and aims to be a comprehensive repository for veterinary medical imaging.
The database currently contains over 1,000 medical images — including X-rays and CT scans — representing a diverse array of 50 different species, such as:
- The greater roadrunner
- The cotton-top tamarin
- The bowmouth guitarfish, also known as a shark ray
The ambitious goal is to expand this collection to more than 10,000 images of 500 species by the year 2026, ultimately enhancing the ability of wildlife veterinarians to provide precise medical care for a wide variety of animals.
