Crazy Pictures Show 30-Year-Old Leopard Eel Having a CT Scan

A 30-year-old leopard eel has received a CT scan for a growth in the roof of his mouth—and the resulting images are incredible.

Larry Gordon, who is five feet long and weighs 16 pounds, was taken to Summit Veterinary Hospital in Tacoma, Washington, to undergo the medical examination.

"It is not a super common occurrence, but we aren't the first facility to use a CT for an eel," Dr. Kadie Anderson, a veterinarian at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, where Larry lives, told Newsweek. "Dental surgeries are a fairly common occurrence for veterinary practice, but not as common in fish and aquatics."

Leopard eels are marine fish that can be found in tropical reefs in the Indo-Pacific ocean. They can grow up to nearly 10 feet long and are often very aggressive toward other fish and even humans. They live largely off cephalopods, like squid, and small fishes.

In April, Anderson spotted something not right in Larry's mouth. After an x-ray she determined that it was likely due to a broken tooth, which she removed. But, before long, it had returned. "We decided to do a CT scan to evaluate Larry Gordon's delicate skull and dental features to ensure that removing the mass was possible and safe," Anderson said.

A CT scan, which stands for computerized tomography, provides more detailed information of internal body structures than a simple x-ray by combining multiple x-ray images taken at different angles around the body. Overall, the scan produces a detailed three-dimensional image.

On arrival at the hospital, Larry was carried into a large cooler. He was then anesthetized and transferred to a smaller tub that would fit into the scanner. Before entering the scanner, the eel was spritzed with water to keep his skin and gills moist throughout the procedure.

The CT scan shows the fine details of the eel's skeleton in 3D.

Leopard eels have two rows of teeth, which help them catch their food. The first row grips their prey, while the second set helps pull the prey down their throat. They also don't have scales, which makes them very difficult to hold, staff biologist Cindy Kagey told Newsweek.

After the procedure, Larry was returned to the cooler and was fed through a syringe before waking up.

"The CT scan showed that the growth in Larry Gordon's mouth is restricted to the roof of his mouth and does not appear to have moved into his bone or nasal passages," Anderson said. She is now working with a veterinary dentist and surgeon to remove the growth.

Correction 10/18/22, 9:51 a.m ET: This article was updated to correct the spelling of Tacoma.