Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
CT scan measurements of adrenal glands in dogs with hormone-related
By Bertolini, Giovanna et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2008·San Marco Private Veterinary Clinic, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Computed tomographic adrenal gland quantification in canine adrenocorticotroph hormone-dependent hyperadrenocorticism.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with a condition called pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease) underwent CT scans to assess their adrenal glands. The study looked at 49 dogs and found that the size and appearance of the adrenal glands did not significantly differ between those with small tumors (microadenomas) and those with larger tumors (macroadenomas). Interestingly, the weight of the dogs was the main factor affecting the size of the adrenal glands. This research suggests that CT scans can help evaluate adrenal gland health in dogs with this condition, but further studies are needed to clarify the findings.
People also search for: dog Cushing's disease symptoms · adrenal gland tumors in dogs · CT scan for dog adrenal glands
Abstract
We conducted a retrospective study to determine whether multidetector computed tomography (CT) could be of value for adrenal gland assessment in dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism. Adrenal gland attenuation and volume values of 49 dogs with hyperadrenocorticism were recorded and age, body weight, and gender were examined to determine if a relationship existed between these variables and adrenal gland morphology. There was not a statistically significant difference in mean X-ray attenuation of the left vs. right adrenal gland in normal dogs (35.3 +/- 6.1 HU), or in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism. The mean adrenal X-ray attenuation (+/- standard deviation [SD]) in dogs with microadenoma was 33.1 +/- 6.8 vs. 31.8 +/- 12.7 HU for dogs with macroadenoma, and these values were not statistically different. The mean volume of the left adrenal gland in normal dogs (0.59 +/- 0.17 cm3) was greater than that of the right adrenal gland (0.54 +/- 0.19 cm3) (P < 0.05). The mean CT volume (+/- SD) of the adrenal glands in dogs with microadenoma vs. macroadenoma were 1.60 +/- 1.25 vs. 2.88 +/- 1.60 cm3, respectively. There was no effect of age or gender on adrenal gland morphology or X-ray attenuation. The weight effect was the most important source of variation for the volume measurement in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18833952/