Portable imaging camera gets first veterinary use in hyperthyroid cats

A portable imaging camera originally designed for human nuclear medicine has crossed into veterinary use, with Serac Imaging Systems announcing what it describes as the first veterinary use of its Seracam device in eight cats with known or suspected hyperthyroidism in Athens, Greece. The scans were performed at the Feline Hyperthyroidism Treatment Centre by Dr. Sossanna Bourmpou, and the company says the imaging was used both to confirm diagnosis and to guide treatment selection. (seracimagingsystems.com)

The development sits at the intersection of two familiar realities in feline practice: hyperthyroidism is one of the most common endocrinopathies in older cats, and thyroid scintigraphy is already a well-established functional imaging tool when standard lab work doesn’t tell the whole story. Merck Veterinary Manual notes that most affected cats have elevated total T4, but about 5% to 10% can have normal values, creating diagnostically challenging cases. In those situations, scintigraphy can help confirm disease and characterize thyroid tissue more precisely. (seracimagingsystems.com)

According to Serac’s May 14, 2026 announcement, the Athens team used Seracam in eight feline cases to assess disease extent, distribution of hyperactive thyroid tissue, and individualized therapeutic requirements. The company says the system combines gamma imaging with real-time optical imaging, allowing functional and anatomical information to be overlaid. In its announcement, Serac also highlighted potential value in identifying affected lobes, detecting ectopic thyroid tissue, and supporting individualized I-131 dose planning while reducing the risk of adverse effects or repeat treatment. (seracimagingsystems.com)

That matters because radioiodine remains widely regarded as the gold-standard treatment for feline hyperthyroidism, though access is limited to facilities with the right permits and infrastructure. Cornell’s veterinary program says radioiodine is safe and effective, with cure rates of roughly 95% to 98% after one treatment, but it requires hospitalization and careful case management. A tool that helps refine pre-treatment assessment at the point of care could be attractive to referral centers that already manage these cases, especially if it improves confidence in borderline diagnoses or helps tailor dosing. (seracimagingsystems.com)

Industry reaction so far has been positive but still preliminary. In the company release, Bourmpou said the imaging provided immediate and accurate assessment and supported optimization of I-131 treatment protocols, while also helping with pet parent communication through direct visualization of disease. Serac CEO Mark Rosser called the first veterinary images “incredibly exciting” and suggested further veterinary applications may follow. Trade coverage from dvm360 similarly framed the system as a point-of-care advance that could bring thyroid imaging closer to specialty practice workflow. These reactions are promising, but they come mainly from the company announcement and follow-on trade reporting rather than peer-reviewed veterinary outcomes data. (seracimagingsystems.com)

Why it matters: For veterinarians, the real question is not whether thyroid scintigraphy has value, but whether a more portable hybrid camera can make that value easier to access. In feline hyperthyroidism, imaging can be particularly useful when lab findings are equivocal, when ectopic tissue is suspected, or when clinicians want a more complete map before radioiodine therapy. If a smaller system can deliver clinically useful image quality without the logistical burden of larger nuclear medicine setups, it could expand functional imaging in practices that already see enough hyperthyroid cats to justify the workflow. At the same time, this remains an early demonstration in just eight cats, so claims about outcome improvement should be viewed as directional rather than settled. (seracimagingsystems.com)

There’s also a broader regional context. A recent paper in the Journal of the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society points to active research attention on feline hyperthyroidism in Greece, suggesting a growing clinical focus on diagnosis and management in that market. Bourmpou’s clinic also positions itself as a center for feline hyperthyroidism and I-131 treatment, which helps explain why this first use emerged there rather than in general practice. (ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr)

What to watch: The next signals will be whether Serac or independent clinicians publish case series or comparative data, whether additional referral centers adopt the camera, and whether use expands from feline thyroid disease into other veterinary nuclear imaging applications. For now, this looks like an intriguing proof point in a specialty niche, not yet a practice-changing standard. (seracimagingsystems.com)