Elastographic Evaluation of the Adrenal Glands of Dogs With Hypercortisolism

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.