Dr. Tracy Hill, a specialist in internal medicine, has joined the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, bringing with her expertise in interventional radiology.

Tracy completed a fellowship in interventional radiology and endoscopy at the Animal Medical Centre in New York, will be researching new techniques in this developing field.

She will also work in the clinic at the School's Hospital for Small Animals and as a senior lecturer.

She said: "Interventional radiology is an emerging and expanding area in veterinary medicine. Interventional radiology employs the use of fluoroscopy and endoscopy to enable minimally invasive treatments for diseases in many body systems. These techniques often reduce morbidity, mortality, or cost associated with more invasive procedures. The Dick Vet has been performing interventional cardiac procedures for some time and we are looking to expand this field into treatment of non-cardiac diseases."

Tracy, who carried out her residency in small animal internal medicine at North Carolina State University, where she also completed a PhD, will help the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh to provide interventional radiology procedures.

This includes a minimally invasive treatment for certain liver shunts using a procedure only being regularly performed at a handful of veterinary hospitals in the world. In this procedure, fluoroscopic guidance is used to access the abnormal vessels in the abdomen via a catheter placed in the jugular vein in the neck. The abnormal shunt vessel is then closed using coil embolization, without the need for abdominal surgery.

Tracey said: "I am delighted to join the Dick Vet. There is no denying the expertise at the vet school, as well as its partnership with The Roslin Institute for research."

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