Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How adrenal gland stiffness differs in dogs with hypercortisolism
By de Paula Sesti, Fernanda et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2026·Programa de Pó, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Elastographic Evaluation of the Adrenal Glands of Dogs With Hypercortisolism.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 15 dogs diagnosed with hypercortisolism (a condition causing excessive cortisol) had their adrenal glands examined using a special ultrasound technique called elastography. This technique showed that the adrenal glands in these dogs were significantly larger and stiffer compared to healthy dogs. The study found that the sick dogs had varied stiffness patterns in their adrenal glands, while healthy dogs had more uniform stiffness. The results suggest that using elastography alongside regular ultrasound could help veterinarians better diagnose changes in the adrenal glands of dogs with hypercortisolism.
People also search for: dog hypercortisolism symptoms · adrenal gland problems in dogs · dog ultrasound adrenal glands
Abstract
Elastography is a promising technique for assessing tissue stiffness in the adrenal glands of dogs with hypercortisolism (HC). This study compared 30 dogs, 15 of which were healthy (control group) and 15 diagnosed with HC, confirmed by low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (n = 11) or ACTH stimulation test (n = 4) without prior treatment. Ultrasound measurements revealed a significant increase in the dimensions of the adrenal glands, especially in the left adrenal gland, with more frequent changes in the cranial pole (86.7%, p = 0.00003) and caudal pole (80%, p = 0.00005). Qualitative elastography indicated varied tissue stiffness patterns in sick dogs, with a predominance of mixed patterns (46.7%), whereas dogs in the control group showed uniform moderate stiffness. Semiquantitative analysis showed that the adrenal glands of sick dogs were significantly stiffer compared to the adjacent mesentery, with variations ranging from 33% to 80% stiffer. The Mann-Whitney test revealed statistically significant differences in adrenal stiffness between the groups (U = 4.500; Z = -4.621; p < 0.001). These findings suggest that elastography, combined with conventional ultrasonography, may be an effective complementary diagnostic tool in detecting adrenal changes in dogs with HC.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41853861/