Thinned and bright lymph nodes common in neutered dogs with Cushing's

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of thinned and hyperechoic jejunal and medial iliac lymph nodes in neutered dogs with spontaneous hyperadrenocorticism (sHAC) compared to clinically healthy neutered dogs. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted at a veterinary hospital (May 2023 to January 2025). Neutered dogs diagnosed with sHAC (Cushing group) and healthy neutered dogs (normal group) were enrolled. Diagnosis of sHAC was based on recommendations from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the inclusion criteria. Abdominal ultrasound examinations assessed lymph node thickness and echogenicity. Statistical analyses, including subgroup evaluations by weight, were conducted to compare findings between groups. RESULTS: The study included 28 neutered dogs with sHAC and 30 healthy neutered dogs. Median lymph node thickness was significantly lower in the Cushing group across all weight subgroups. Overall, 93% (26 of 28) of dogs with sHAC exhibited thinned jejunal lymph nodes and 96% (27 of 28) had thinned medial iliac lymph nodes compared to healthy dogs and published data. Lymph node hyperechogenicity was significantly more common in the Cushing group compared to the normal group, with a prevalence of 64% (18 of 28) for jejunal and 71% (20 of 28) for medial iliac lymph nodes. Compared to healthy dogs, those with sHAC had significantly higher odds of having hyperechoic jejunal (OR, 23.53; 95% CI, 4.45 to 243.91) and medial iliac (OR, 65.70; 95% CI, 8.29 to 3,041.06) lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS: Neutered dogs with sHAC are more likely to have thinner and hyperechoic jejunal and medial iliac lymph nodes than clinically healthy neutered dogs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These findings may support the clinical suspicion of sHAC during ultrasonographic evaluation.