Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ultrasound shows adrenal gland blood flow in dogs with pituitary
By Pey, Pascalline et al.·Published in American journal of veterinary research·2013·Department of Medical Imaging of Domestic Animals and Orthopaedics of Small Animals·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic evaluation of adrenal glands in dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (a condition causing excessive hormone production) underwent a special ultrasound to check their adrenal glands. The tests showed that these dogs had slower blood flow in their adrenal glands compared to healthy dogs, especially in smaller breeds. While the ultrasound could identify these changes, it didn't show any clear differences in other blood flow measurements. This suggests that the ultrasound might help veterinarians assess adrenal gland health in dogs with this condition, but more research is needed to establish standard reference values for healthy versus affected dogs.
People also search for: dog adrenal gland problems · pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism treatment · ultrasound for dog adrenal glands
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess vascular changes induced by hyperadrenocorticism of hyperplastic adrenal glands in dogs via contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. ANIMALS: 12 dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) and 7 healthy control dogs ≥ 7 years old. PROCEDURES: Dogs were assigned to the PDH and control groups and to small-breed (n = 6), medium-breed (4), and large-breed (9) subgroups. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography of both adrenal glands in each dog was performed with IV injections of contrast agent. Time-intensity curves for the adrenal cortex, adrenal medulla, and ipsilateral renal artery of both adrenal glands were generated. Perfusion variables (time to peak [TTP], upslope of wash-in phase, and downslope of washout phase) were calculated. RESULTS: Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography revealed no qualitative difference between PDH and control groups. Quantitatively, TTPs were longer in the adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla of the PDH group, compared with values for the control group, particularly in the adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla of the small-breed subgroup. Washout downslopes were lower for the renal artery, adrenal cortex, and adrenal medulla of the small-breed subgroup between the PDH and control groups. No other perfusion variables differed between groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography of the adrenal glands in dogs with PDH revealed a delayed TTP in the adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla, compared with values for control dogs. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was able to detect vascular changes induced by hyperadrenocorticism. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether reference ranges for clinically normal dogs and dogs with PDH can be determined and applied in clinical settings.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23438117/