ALSF POST Summer Student Blog – Veterinary Research

Image: TL MRI scan showing vertebral bodies, the spinal cord, and the protruding discs implicated in Kupkake's symptoms. This week was a busy one. MRI scans give more detailed images for better diagnosis, but this also means they take a lot longer compared to X-rays or CT scans. Not to mention, each patient is different: for some, the problem spot will show up pretty early on, while other cases require more scans to pinpoint an issue. Overall, scans can take up to an hour at least, meaning that 5 critters in one day is a lot! Thankfully we managed to get all of the scans done in good time, with some bonus puppy cuddles. One case that came in this week was a pitbull named Kupkake who was suddenly paralyzed in her hind legs, accompanied by pain along her spine. A CT scan showed some potential pinching of the spinal cord, so a thoracolumbar (TL) MRI scan was performed to give the vets a better idea of what was going on.  The spine is formed by 3 major parts–the vertebrae, the spi...

  Hi! My name is Emily. I'm a rising junior at Johns Hopkins University studying Biomolecular Engineering. If it's not obvious from the photo, I'm a huge animal lover, which is why I'm planning on pursuing a career in veterinary medicine and research. It's also why I'm thrilled to be shadowing Dr. Dara Kraitchman and her team this summer at the Center for Image-Guided Animal Therapy (CIGAT) at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institute. I'll be working with Dr. Kraitchman and one of her colleagues, Dr. Brian Ladle, on their canine osteosarcoma trial. The goal is to use a combination of image-guided cryoablation, where the tumor cells are killed via localized freezing, and STING, a new immunotherapy, to treat osteosarcoma. This is one of the most diagnosed forms of cancer in both canines and human kids, and in each case the options for treatment are very similar. Thus, our hope is that we can find a more effective therapy for both kids and our furry friends. I'm...