How to CT scan a 400-pound crocodile

Phys · Aug 24, 2026 · 830 words · By University

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What to know about How to CT scan a 400-pound crocodile

Staff at Hogle Zoo and University of Utah Health collaborated to perform a CT scan on Bill, a 400-pound Siamese crocodile experiencing health issues. The scan identified stomach stones, and the teams are now evaluating whether a removal procedure is appropriate for the aging animal.

Propaganda risk 10%

Claims checked 15

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center100%

Right0%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

How to CT scan a 400-pound crocodile Swati Mestri Scientific Editor Robert Egan Senior Editor At 61, Bill had begun showing changes in his health—decreased appetite, weight loss and abdominal bloating.

Why it matters

But his bloodwork was normal, leaving the cause of his symptoms unknown.

Common ground

The next step was clear: Bill should get a CT scan to check for problems with his internal organs.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: How to CT scan a 400-pound crocodile?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Hassan Bourija, radiology supervisor at U of U Health, and Scott Ehrgott, CT technologist at U of U Health, scanned the crocodile's entire body using CT to assess his condition, under the leadership of Edward Quigley, MD, Ph.D., professor of radiology at U of U Health?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-08-ct-scan-pound-crocodile.html

analyticsAnalysis

10%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 100%

Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 15 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 8

schedule Pending 5

help Insufficient Evidence 1

verified Verified 1

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Claim 1: “Hassan Bourija, radiology supervisor at U of U Health, and Scott Ehrgott, CT technologist at U of U Health, scanned the crocodile's entire body using CT to assess his condition, under the leadership of Edward Quigley, MD, Ph.D., professor of radiology at U of U Health.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

While the general event of the scan is confirmed, the specific names of the staff (Hassan Bourija, Scott Ehrgott, Edward Quigley) were not found in the provided evidence.

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Claim 2: “there was no evidence of cancer.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 3: “We programmed the radiation dose manually”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 4: “Bill and Hillary have been a familiar part of visits to Hogle Zoo for decades”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 5: “Bill has a bite force of more than 3,000 psi.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources (University of Utah Health and Hogle Zoo) mention Bill's bite force exceeds 3,000 PSI.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Bill, Bills, or The Bill may refer to: Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legisl…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — BILL Holdings, Inc. is an American company based in San Jose, California, that provides automated, cloud-based software for financial operations for small businesses in the United States. A white-labe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill.com

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Bill is a British police procedural television series, broadcast on ITV from 16 October 1984 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, "Woodentop" (part of the Storyboar…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bill

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 6: “Bill was placed on a secure, custom-made platform and carefully moved to U of U Health for imaging at the Department of Radiology.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm Bill was placed on a custom-made platform and moved to the U of U Health radiology department.

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web search NEUTRAL — Learn how Hogle Zoo and University of Utah Health worked together to safely transport crocodile Bill for a CT scan.Collaboration of care. Bill was then placed on a secure, custom-made platform and car…
https://www.hoglezoo.org/taking-a-croc-to-the-doc/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — AI platform for Academic & General Training IELTS prep: unlimited mock tests, feedback on every answer, a personalized plan. Double score guarantee.Thanks to the team — finally got a 6.5 on my third a…
https://goprep.gg/en

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web search NEUTRAL
https://portal.app.utah.edu/

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Claim 7: “he was given a mild sedative under veterinary supervision”

CORROBORATED

Two independent web sources confirm Bill was given a mild sedative under veterinary supervision.

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web search NEUTRAL — Key points: Bill, a 10-foot-long crocodile at Hogle Zoo, had showed health changes, but the cause of his symptoms was unclear. U of U Health radiologists worked with Hogle Zoo animal experts to give B…
https://healthcare.utah.edu/newsroom/news/2026/04/how-ct-sca…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — To transport Bill, our 20+ person team used specialized tools and techniques to safely restrain him, ensuring control of his head and body. From there, he was given a mild sedative under veterinary su…
https://www.hoglezoo.org/taking-a-croc-to-the-doc/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — To move Bill, our 20+ person team used specialized tools and techniques to safely restrain him, ensuring control of his head and body. From there, he was given a mild sedative under veterinary supervi…
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hogle-zoo_a-croc-at-the-docfi…

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Claim 8: “Erika Crook, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, board-certified specialist in zoological medicine and director of animal health for Hogle Zoo.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 9: “the team of more than 20 people used specialized tools and techniques to safely restrain him”

CORROBORATED

Two independent web sources (Hogle Zoo and a related post) confirm a team of 20+ people used specialized tools to restrain him.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — More Staffing LLC Staffing and Recruiting More Staffing is an offshore staffing partner, helping you build a team that grows with your business.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/more-now-llc

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web search NEUTRAL — More Investment House | 3,230 followers on LinkedIn. More investment house is traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and manages tens of billions of ILS worth of assets through a variety of ...
https://www.linkedin.com/company/more-investment-house

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web search NEUTRAL — More.com | 9,411 followers on LinkedIn. The more we see, the more we get! | More.com is the most complete ticketing platform for events of all kinds. It is one of Europe’s largest ticketing platforms,…
https://sl.linkedin.com/company/moredotcom

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Claim 10: “The scan revealed several stones in Bill's stomach”

CORROBORATED

Both University of Utah Health and Hogle Zoo sources explicitly state that the CT scan revealed several stones (gastroliths) in Bill's stomach.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — There are ten states in the United States of America with container deposit legislation, popularly called "bottle bills" after the Oregon Bottle Bill, the first such legislation that was passed. Co…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Container_deposit_legislation_…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ryan Michael Fazio (born March 27, 1990) is an American businessman and politician who is a member of the Connecticut State Senate for the 36th district. A member of the Republican Party, he won elect…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Fazio

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Canadair CT-114 Tutor (company model CL-41) is a jet trainer that was designed and produced by Canadian aircraft manufacturer Canadair. It served as the standard jet trainer of the Royal Canadian…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadair_CT-114_Tutor

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 11: “Bill's care team at Utah's Hogle Zoo worked with CT experts at University of Utah Health to transport and scan Bill”

CORROBORATED

Web search results from University of Utah Health and Hogle Zoo confirm the collaboration between the zoo and U of U Health for the CT scan.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_Lake_City

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), originally the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (AAZPA), is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1924 and dedicat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Zoos_and_Aquari…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following is an incomplete list of notable incidents where one or multiple animals escaped from their enclosures at zoos.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_zoo_escapes

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 12: “Bill is a nearly 400-pound (approximately 180-kilogram) Siamese crocodile.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources from University of Utah Health and Hogle Zoo confirm Bill is a Siamese crocodile weighing nearly 400 pounds (180 kg).

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Utah's Hogle Zoo () is a 42-acre (17 ha) Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) accredited facility. Located at the mouth of Salt Lake City's Em…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah's_Hogle_Zoo

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Bill the crocodile gets a CT scan. Image credit: Hogle Zoo. Bill was placed on a secure, custom-made platform and carefully moved a few miles to U of U Health for imaging at the Department of Radiolog…
https://attheu.utah.edu/health-medicine/how-to-ct-scan-a-400…

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web search NEUTRAL — At nearly 400 pounds and with a bite force exceeding 3,000 PSI, Bill, a Siamese crocodile at Utah’s Hogle Zoo, doesn’t fit a routine veterinary playbook.
https://www.dotmed.com/news/story/66325

+ 1 more evidence source

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Claim 13: “Animal care and veterinary teams at Hogle Zoo began closely monitoring Bill after observing changes in his health in 2025, including a decreased appetite, weight loss and abdominal bloating.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm that in 2025, Bill exhibited health changes including decreased appetite, weight loss, and abdominal bloating.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is an incomplete list of existing zoos in the United States. For a list of aquaria, see List of aquaria in the United States, and for a list of nature centers, see List of nature centers in the U…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_zoos_in_the_United_Sta…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Woodland Park Zoo is a wildlife conservation organization and zoological garden located in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. The zoo is the recipient of over 65 awa…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodland_Park_Zoo

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 14: “Our table is eight and a half feet long (2.6 meters), even with the extension”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 15: “The radiology team took on the unique challenge of scanning a 10-foot-long (3-meter-long) reptilian patient”

VERIFIED

The University of Utah Health source explicitly describes Bill as a '10-foot-long crocodile'.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.