Imaging Services
RapidRead FAQ

What is Antech RapidRead Radiology?
Antech RapidRead is an artificial intelligence (AI) radiology service that pairs our board-certified radiology expertise with Mars Petcare Next-Gen AI-generated diagnostic imaging technology to deliver rapid, accurate, and insightful AI radiology reports. RapidRead Radiology currently offers findings in the thorax, abdomen, and limbs of cats and dogs. With reports generated in 10 minutes or less, RapidRead Radiology is ideal when results are needed quickly and for preanesthetic or routine radiographs.
How vast is the depth of knowledge and accuracy achieved in RapidRead?
The Antech-Mars Petcare Next-Gen technology team is perfecting algorithms and increasing specialist-verified radiology data that auto-generate RapidRead reports. The team has reinforced the technology with nearly 16 million images specifically labeled by our board-certified radiologists. The team also contributes contextual assessments generated within the report for even deeper insights, making it the only AI-generated report of its kind.
How accurate is a RapidRead report compared to a traditional
radiologist’s report?
RapidRead technology has a proven accuracy rating of over 95%. These findings are based on AI reports from thousands of clinics and reviewed and confirmed by our board-certified radiologists. Our team of experts continues to work toward improving accuracy of the model. Independent research that will be peer reviewed and published is underway.
How long does it take to receive a report?
Reports are delivered in approximately 10 minutes or less from the time of submission.
Does RapidRead look for everything?
RapidRead only detects what it has been trained to detect. The list of findings is regularly expanding but it’s important that you, your clinicians, and your technicians know what the tool can and cannot currently detect. Pairing this understanding with your clinical assessment will allow you to make the best use of RapidRead for your patients.
Examples of what RapidRead cannot detect are: comparison studies, special procedures (i.e., barium studies), certain body parts (i.e., skull), and certain findings (i.e., pregnancy checks.) You can submit these cases directly to one of our radiologists via our Consulting Services for evaluation.
Are reports reviewed by a specialist
RapidRead reports deliver 95%, or better, accuracy. Reports are delivered to you directly within 10 minutes of submission, and are not reviewed by a specialist unless certain emergent findings are indicated. If a report indicates certain emergent findings, it is automatically routed to one of our board-certified veterinary specialists for a STAT review (at no additional cost to you) within two hours (approximately). Our RapidRead team of board-certified specialists conduct ongoing, extensive quality control of the reports, ensuring we continually provide highly accurate reports for you and your patients.
Can I order a consult with a radiologist after I submit a RapidRead request, and how much would it cost?
Yes. At the end of the your RapidRead report, there’s a link to request an overread if desired. If you order a overread, we waive the fee for the RapidRead, and the overread will be at the standard price for your clinic.
What is artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)?
Artificial Intelligence is a broad term for all areas of data science where a computer simulates human decision-making capabilities. Machine learning is a subset of AI that uses algorithms to identify patterns in large amounts of data without explicitly being given the rules to find the patterns. Another layer of ML, called deep learning, includes multiple layers of neural networks that interconnect in various ways, depending on the type of problem the architecture is set up to solve. Successful AI and ML methodologies initially begin with human-based, specialized expertise providing the data input (supervised deep learning).
How does deep learning technology assist with differential diagnoses?
Antech radiologists working with Mars Petcare Next-Gen domain expert data scientists have trained RapidRead to recognize normal versus abnormal for body parts and body systems. Information, such as objective measurements, is readily programmed into the system by reviewing various resources, including hundreds of thousands of case reports, textbooks, and peer-reviewed publications. The technology produces a prioritized list of RapidRead findings. These findings, together with the clinical observations from the submitting veterinarian, offer a detailed assessment of the radiographs. Board-certified radiologists perform quality control and provide contextual assessments for deeper insight, making it the only AI-generated report of its kind. With RapidRead, treating veterinarians can diagnose their patients faster and treat them with greater confidence, sooner.
What is the American College of Veterinary Radiology’s (ACVR) position on the use of AI/ML for radiology findings?
While the human radiology organization equivalent to the ACVR has fully embraced AI as part of radiology’s future, the use of AI and ML in veterinary medicine is a relatively new development. As more practices embrace the ease and efficiency of this new technology, we expect greater acceptance of AI to play a role in helping set a new standard of care across our industry.
Do I have greater liability if I use an AI-powered product like RapidRead?
RapidRead is like any other diagnostic tool that you routinely use in your practice. It’s designed to provide you with information you can use to aid you in more efficiently and accurately reaching a diagnosis and choosing the optimum course of treatment for your patient. As with any diagnostic tool, RapidRead reports are designed to be used in conjunction with a clinical examination, patient history, etc., and with conventional radiology and other reads by licensed veterinary professionals. These reports do not replace the clinical judgment of the treating veterinarian. You should consult with your personal legal advisor for guidance regarding your use of AI-powered diagnostic tools in your practice.
Will AI replace radiologists and other specialists?
No. Our technology is designed to be used in conjunction with conventional radiology and other reads to offer veterinarians accurate information where appropriate. Specialist expertise and oversight will continue to be essential to the accuracy of the assessed and banked data. At Antech, AI is an assistive methodology that equips pet healthcare providers for state-of-the-art care. RapidRead provides the industry’s most accurate and most insightful AI radiology reports within minutes, affording you the diagnostic tool you need to improve your hospital’s efficiency and, ultimately, contribute to better patient care.