Introduction

Uses

• Investigation of:
  • Hypertension Hypertension.
  • Hypernatremia.
  • Hyperadrenocorticism Hyperadrenocorticism.

Advantages

• Low cost.
• Non-invasive.
• Straightforward.
• Short time requirement if experienced.
• Rarely requires sedation.
• No known biological risk.
• Allows ultrasound guided:
  • Fine needle aspirate Fine-needle aspirate Cytology: fine needle aspirate.
  • Biopsy.
• Allows evaluation of other organs for related problems, eg invasion of caudal vena cava or hepatic metastases by adrenal carcinomas.
  Time requirement will reduce with operator experience.

Disadvantages

• May require patient's coat to be clipped.
• Normal sonographic appearance does not exclude disease.
• Gives no information on endocrine function.
• Abnormal sonographic appearance does not always indicate significant disease.
• Similar sonographic appearance with different diseases.

Potential problems

• Poor transducer-skin contact:
  • Inadequate clipping.
  • Insufficient coupling medium.
• Inadequate patient restraint.
• Operator inexperience.
• Excess intestinal gas.
• Inadequate equipment.

Alternatives

• Plain or contrast radiography Radiography: abdomen for differentiating renal from adrenal masses.
• MRI or CT for differentiating pituitary dependant from adrenal dependant hyperadrenocorticism.

Equipment

Patient preparation

Technique

Normal anatomy

Abnormalities

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Gould S M, Baines E A, Mannion P A et al (2001) Use of endogenous ACTH concentration and adrenal ultrasonography to distinguish the cause of canine hyperadrenocorticism. JSAP 42 (3), 113-121 PubMed.
• Besso J G, Penninck D G & Gliatto J M (1997) Retrospective ultrasonographic evaluation of adrenal lesions in 26 dogs. Vet Radiol 38 (6), 448-455 PubMed.
• Douglass J P, Berry C R & James S (1997) Ultrasonographic adrenal gland measurement in dogs without evidence of adrenal disease. Vet Radiol 38 (2), 124-130 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• Tidwell A S, Penninck D G & Besso J G (1997) Imaging of adrenal gland disorders. Vet Clin North Am 27 (2), 237-254 PubMed.