title: Radiographic findings in dogs with naturally-occurring primary hypoadrenocorticism.
abstract: Survey radiographs often are obtained in dogs with primary hypoadrenocorticism in adrenal crisis as part of the routine evaluation of a critically ill dog. In this study, standardized methods of cardiac, pulmonary vasculature, and vena cava mensuration were used in 22 dogs with naturally-occurring primary hypoadrenocorticism, and the findings were compared with those in 22 breed-matched, clinically normal dogs. Most (81.8%) untreated dogs with primary hypoadrenocorticism had one or more radiographic abnormalities, including small size of the heart (45.5%), cranial lobar pulmonary artery (36.4%), caudal vena cava (54.5%), or liver (36.4%). Megaesophagus was not found in any of the dogs with hypoadrenocorticism, and therefore, compared to the other common radiographic findings, should be considered a rare finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The Animal Medical Center, New York, New York 10021, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Melián
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stefanacci
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Kintzer
mesh_terms: D000309:Adrenal Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography