The VSH Diagnostic Imaging Department is led by Dr Virginie De Busscher.

Dr De Busscher graduated from the Veterinary School of Liège in Belgium in 2002. After a rotating internship followed by one year of assistantship in radiology at the Veterinary School of Maisons-Alfort in France, she entered a three-year residency program in Liège Veterinary School.  After successfully passing the final examination, she was awarded the title of Specialist of the European College of Veterinary Diagnostic imaging (ECVDI) in 2009.  She worked in some prestigious universities in Canada and in France, as well as in several referral veterinary centres in the United Kingdom, in Singapore and in Hong Kong. She is the only diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging and only recognised Specialist in Diagnostic Imaging of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in Hong Kong. 

In her daily routine, Dr De Busscher performs ultrasonography and she does reporting of X-rays, CT scans and MRI studies. These imaging techniques are operator-dependent and their diagnostic value is proportionate to the expertise of the imager, thereby implying that a very expensive test may not provide as much information in the hands of someone with less experience. Dr De Busscher particularly enjoys her interactions with her colleagues of other disciplines and her input can often make a difference and help uncover the most challenging conditions, especially when time matters. If many centres can nowadays provide advanced imaging techniques such as CT scan or MRI scan, her input is invaluable to assess the quality of the imaging study on-site and ensure that this procedure will carry a good chance to provide a diagnosis. Moreover, it will typically decrease the waiting time for a definitive diagnosis to be made. This will spare your pet the risk of undergoing multiple procedures and allows a faster transition between Departments, should a procedure be performed under the same anaesthesia.

Dr De Busscher loves all pets. She typically interacts with cats, dogs, but she has been as well an active support of the Singaporean Zoo and can as well investigate more exotic pets. She is very keen on performing FNAs and biopsies. These tests can be less diagnostic or even dangerous in the hands of someone with less experience, and can sometimes require some form of sedation as they will carry a higher chance to provide an accurate diagnosis with less risk of injuring the patient. For this reason, the pet will typically require to be fasted appropriately prior to the more challenging procedures.

Dr De Busscher enjoyed teaching students in all parts of the world and she is always happy to share her knowledge with her colleagues (referring veterinarians) or during international meetings. She is an active member of the Selection Committee of the ECVDI and continues to participate in research projects or contributes to articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Education and training

-Diploma of Doctor in Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège (Belgium) with Great Honors, 1996-2002.

-Diploma of Intern of the National Veterinary School of Maisons-Alfort, 2002-2003.

-Internship in Diagnostic Imaging at the National Veterinary School of Maisons-Alfort, 2003-2004.

-Residency of the European College of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging, 2005-2008.

-Diploma of the European College of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging, 2009.
-RCVS specialist in Veterinary Diagnostic imaging, 2016.
-EBVS® European Board of Veterinary Specialisation - European Specialist in Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging.

Here a non-exhaustive list of the Imaging procedures routinely performed:

Ultrasound

• Abdominal ultrasound
• Thoracic ultrasound
• Musculoskeletal and soft tissue ultrasound
• Thyroid-parathyroid and neck ultrasound
• Ocular ultrasound
• Color-flow doppler
• Fine needle aspiration and biopsy (hepatic biopsies, samples of abdominal, thoracic and any other masses)

Digital radiography (X-ray)

• Radiographs of the thorax, abdomen, head, axial and appendicular skeleton
• Contrast study (digestive and urinary system, fistulography and others)
• Radiography reporting service (DICOM images are recommended to get the best interpretation)

Fluoroscopy

• Dynamic contrast studies (assessment of the respiratory tract (tracheal and bronchial collapse), of the oesophageal motility or assistance in some surgical interventions including stent placement and others).

Computed Tomography (CT) Scan

• Thorax - metastases checks, lung, pleural, mediastinal and extra-thoracic assessment, trauma
• Abdomen - metastases checks, intravenous urography, vascular assessment
• Head/Nasal cavities and sinuses
• Middle and inner ear
• Spine, intravenous contrast studies and CT myelography
• High resolution vascular studies for portosystemic shunts and others
• Joints and bones - visualisation of medial coronoid disease of the elbows, assessment of incomplete ossification of the humeral condyles, fracture repair planning
• Musculotendinous system - eg calcification of the supraspinatus tendons
• Other soft tissue diseases (masses and others)
• MPR-multiplanar reconstruction

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

• Brain, nasal cavities and sinus, middle and inner ear, orbit
• Intervertebral discs, spinal cord
• Bones, joints and soft tissues
• Any soft tissue area of the body