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Companion MRI Offers an
Affordable Diagnostic Tool in Connecticut
By Tamara Sevigny
It has happened to all of us. Our beloved pet becomes ill and we don’t know what is wrong. They can’t tell us what hurts. A frustrating and uneasy visit to the vet tells us little more. This is exactly what happened with a healthy 6 year old cat named Amelie. She started having seizures out of nowhere along with some nasal discharge. Amelie’s vet did blood work and x-rays and found nothing out of the ordinary.
Amelie’s owner was faced with an unbearable decision. The next step would have been Rhinoscopy, at $2000, or MRI. MRIs usually run a costly $1800-$3000. The owner did not have a lot of money and was considering euthanizing her precious Amelie. Amelie’s vet found out about Companion MRI and that their price, a mere $950, was actually an affordable option, especially with their 9 month interest free payment plan. Without hesitation Amelie’s owner decided to go for the MRI exam. The exam was done and the STAT results (at a cost of only $30 more) were sent over to her vet office while her cat was actually still on the MRI table under anesthesia.
It turns out that Amelie had fungal rhinitis in her Nasopharynx (inflammation deep in her sinuses due to a fungal infection) and there were no tumors or lesions in the brain. Amelie was treated for the sinus condition and is doing fine now. Without the affordable MRI option offered by Companion MRI Amelie’s fate could have been much different.
Founded by Mark Leggett, Companion MRI is located right here in Connecticut at 993 North Main Street in West Hartford. "In 2006 I came to life decision crossroads," says Leggett. "I had been in hospital imaging management for a number of years when I decided that it was time to do something on my own. I joined my love of animals with what I knew (imaging) and after much research felt that there was a definitive need for this modality for the Veterinary market."
"My philosophy in starting Companion MRI was to bring this wonderful diagnostic tool to the general clinician that could utilize this tool and look their clients in the eye when recommending it," says Leggett. CMRI works directly with your regular vet, instead of having to be referred to a specialist, allowing you and your pet to work with familiar faces in familiar surroundings. In addition, Companion MRI has the infrastructure to allow the referring vet to access their patients’ exam online minutes after the exam is complete.
"Each CMRI center is an entity upon itself located within a 24/7 Emergency/Specialty practice. I chose Specialty/Emergency centers for the safety of the patients," says Leggett. "If one [of the animals] were to have serious issues while under anesthesia the best resources would be available for the pet," says Leggett.
MRI exams greatly increase diagnostic capabilities. When pets are experiencing symptoms that regular blood work, x-rays, and Ultrasound can't diagnose, MRIs can tell your vet exactly what is going on. If your pet is having seizures, neck or back pain, abnormal nasal discharge, questions of a possible soft tissue mass, any neurological changes (circling, inability to walk normally, lack of coordination of muscle movements), orthopedic problems, and even behavioral changes, an MRI could be the only way to get a definitive diagnosis. And with the recent economic struggles we are all experiencing; CMRI could not have emerged at a better time, offering an affordable necessity in veterinary medicine.
For more information on Companion MRI they can be reached at 860-586-8610. Their web site will soon be available at www.companionmri.com.
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