Diagnostic imaging is essential in veterinary practice, and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) has emerged as a promising tool to complement radiography. This study aimed to optimize the image quality of a novel multimodality veterinary X-ray prototype integrating direct digital radiography, fluoroscopy and CBCT, and to assess its potential clinical applications, focusing on the CBCT component. The study was conducted in three phases: optimization of CBCT image quality using postmortem samples, comparison of CBCT and 16-slice multidetector CT (MDCT) images of four cadavers (two dogs and two cats), and potential clinical applications in 24 live patients. Comparative evaluation in postmortem scans revealed that CBCT achieved equal quality in 65% of bone compared to MDCT and a slightly inferior quality in 90% of soft-tissue structures using the bone reconstruction protocol, with beam hardening as the main limiting factor. Clinical validation showed that CBCT was particularly useful for identifying small fractures and mineralized structures, providing diagnostic information not clearly visible on radiographs. Integration of radiography, fluoroscopy, and CBCT in a single device facilitated workflow and allowed a more precise diagnosis in most of the patients examined with the prototype, which demonstrated promising diagnostic performance in small-animal and exotic veterinary practice.

Pseudopus apodus is an anguimorph lizard belonging to the order Squamata. Anatomical information on this species remains limited, particularly regarding soft tissues, and has primarily focused on the axial skeleton of both living and fossil specimens. Recently, the anatomy of its coelomic cavity has been described using dissection and multidetector computed tomography (CT), and its brain has been characterized neuroanatomically by combining ultra-high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with histological analysis using immunofluorescence. In the present study, four specimens (one female and three males) were examined. One male and the female were scanned using a low-field MRI system (0.23 T), whereas all three males were scanned using a high-field MRI system (1.5 T). Both MRI systems enabled the identification of a wide range of hard and soft anatomical structures. Only a few small structures could not be consistently identified with the low-field system, including the thyroid gland, spleen, pancreas, testes, and hemipenes. Despite the lower field strength, small ovarian follicles and the optic nerves were clearly visualized with the low-field MRI system. This study provides the first whole-body MRI anatomical reference for Pseudopus apodus, complements previous CT-based anatomical studies, and offers practical information for the interpretation of MRI examinations in reptiles.