TL;DR
A report by veterinarian Peter S. Chapman describes how PET/CT imaging can help guide care in two dogs: it identified a mast cell tumor in one and supported avoiding high-risk procedures for another. The examples underline that advanced diagnostics and AI can inform decisions, but veterinary judgment and conversations with pet owners remain central.
Veterinarian Peter S. Chapman says PET/CT imaging helped guide care for two dogs at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in New Jersey: it led to the discovery and treatment of a previously unnoticed mast cell tumor in one, and supported avoiding a high-risk liver biopsy and surgery in another. The cases show how advanced diagnostics can change veterinary decisions, while leaving interpretation and care choices to clinicians and pet owners.
In the first case, a dog received PET/CT imaging for an unrelated reason. The scan revealed a small subcutaneous lesion that had not previously been recognized. An excisional biopsy identified it as a mast cell tumor. Chapman wrote that finding the tumor before it progressed or caused clinical signs allowed the veterinary team to provide timely treatment that was likely curative.
The second dog had an atypical cystic lesion in the liver. Chapman said the lesion showed no uptake of the radiopharmaceutical tracer used in PET imaging. That finding suggested a low likelihood of aggressive disease and helped the team avoid a high-risk liver biopsy and surgery. The lesion remained stable on subsequent ultrasound examinations, according to the report. These are two clinical cases, not evidence that PET/CT will produce the same outcome for every patient.
PET/CT combines two kinds of information: CT images show an abnormality’s location and anatomy, while PET detects metabolic activity using a radiopharmaceutical tracer. Chapman says the modality is best known for use in oncology, but may also help investigate issues such as fever of unknown origin or unexplained lameness. He cautions that imaging findings alone rarely establish a diagnosis and can lead to additional tests for incidental findings.
How Imaging Can Change Care
The cases illustrate that useful technology does not always point toward more intervention. In one, imaging led to a biopsy and treatment; in the other, the scan helped support monitoring rather than a procedure carrying substantial risk. That distinction matters to pet owners weighing possible benefit, treatment burden and cost.
Chapman argues that veterinary teams should ask whether a test is likely to change the plan, clarify prognosis or quality of life, and justify costs, anesthesia or travel. The answer depends on the animal and its family: age, temperament, expected quality of life and owners’ circumstances can all shape a care decision. A more advanced test is not automatically the best option.
The same principle applies to artificial intelligence. The report says AI is being used for diagnostic support, documentation, client communication and administrative work. Such tools may give clinicians more time with patients and owners, but their output can be incomplete, biased or incorrect. Human review and accountability remain necessary.
Products Worth Considering
Gorilla Grip SilikonHaustierFuttermatte, wasserdicht, erhöhte Kanten, um Verschütten zu verhindern, einfache Reinigung in der Spülmaschine, für Hunde und Katzen, Platzierungstablett für Futter und
Wasserdichtes Design: Die Silikonmatte ist zu 100 % wasserdicht, um den Boden vor schmutzigen Lebensmitteln und Wasser zu…
MateeyLife Napfunterlage Katzen, Napfunterlage Hund Groß Hundenapf | Kleine Hunde, Silikon Unterlage Hundenapf Grosse Hunde, rutschfeste Unterlage Katzennapf, Katzen Futternapf Matte, 45 x 30 cm
Sicher & Weniger Unordnung: Unsere napfunterlage katzen & napfunterlage hund sind aus hochwertigem silikon in lebensmittelqualität und sicher…
Pet Deadly Doll Dog Costume, Cosplay Halloween Christmas Funny Clothes Party Costume for Small Medium and Large Dogs (Small)
【Lustiges Design】Das lustige Hundekostüm ist ein gepolsterter Körper mit zusätzlichen Polsterarmen und Hosenärmeln. Die Kleidung hat eine messerförmige…
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Diagnostics Alongside Clinical Judgment
Chapman’s report describes veterinary medicine as having changed rapidly over the past two decades, with expanded diagnostics, AI and minimally invasive technologies offering new ways to detect disease and plan treatment. It cites an estimate that about one in four dogs will develop cancer during their lifetime, making diagnosis and staging relevant concerns for veterinary teams and families.
The report also cites a 2026 study of 673 veterinary workers: 72.3 percent believed AI would change the profession, while 90.5 percent reported little or no formal AI training. These figures describe the survey respondents; the report does not provide further information here about the study’s methods or how representative the sample is.
Chapman’s central point is that technology can expand what clinicians know without resolving every uncertainty. Decisions still require interpreting results alongside the full clinical picture and discussing options with the people responsible for the pet.
“The most technologically advanced option is not always the best one.”
— Peter S. Chapman
Limits of Scans and AI
The cases do not establish how often PET/CT detects clinically important disease or prevents unnecessary procedures. The report provides no comparative outcome data, costs, or details about how widely the technology is available. It also says an imaging finding alone will rarely be specific enough to confirm a diagnosis, and incidental findings can prompt further testing.
For the liver lesion, the absence of tracer uptake suggested a low likelihood of aggressive disease; it did not prove the lesion was harmless. Stability on later ultrasound supported the decision described, but the report does not give the length of follow-up. The cited AI survey indicates limited training among respondents, but the report does not specify what training programs or practice policies will follow.
Questions for Veterinary Teams
The report does not announce a new trial, policy or planned rollout. Its practical next step is for veterinary teams to discuss the purpose and limitations of a test before recommending it: whether results are likely to change treatment, what they may reveal about prognosis or quality of life, and whether the expected benefit justifies financial and practical burdens.
For AI use, Chapman says practices need policies covering data privacy, appropriate use, human oversight and verification, along with training for veterinary workers. Pet owners can ask what a test or tool could change about their animal’s care, what uncertainties remain, and what alternatives are available.
Key Questions
What did PET/CT show in the two reported cases?
In one dog, PET/CT identified a previously unnoticed lesion that biopsy confirmed was a mast cell tumor. In another, a liver lesion showed no tracer uptake, which the report says suggested a low likelihood of aggressive disease and helped the team avoid high-risk biopsy and surgery.
Does a PET/CT scan confirm a cancer diagnosis?
No. Chapman says imaging findings alone rarely provide a specific enough diagnosis. Additional tests, including biopsy, may be needed to identify what an abnormality is.
Does a scan with no tracer uptake mean a lesion is harmless?
Not necessarily. In the reported liver case, no uptake suggested a low likelihood of aggressive disease; it was not described as proof. The lesion later remained stable on ultrasound examinations.
How should veterinarians use AI tools?
The report says AI can assist with tasks such as documentation and diagnostic support, but its output may be incomplete, biased or incorrect. Veterinary professionals should check results against the clinical picture, with clear policies for privacy and human oversight.
What should pet owners ask before an advanced diagnostic test?
They can ask whether the result is likely to change the care plan, what it may clarify about prognosis or quality of life, and how benefits compare with cost, anesthesia, travel or other burdens. A veterinarian can discuss options for the individual animal.
Source: veterinarypracticenews.com
