Diagnostic imaging findings and endocrine test results in dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism that did or did not have neurologic abnormalities: 157 cases (1989-2005).
OBJECTIVE
To compare imaging findings in dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) that did or did not have neurologic abnormalities. Design-Retrospective case series.


METHODS
157 dogs with PDH that did (n = 73) or did not (84) have neurologic abnormalities.


METHODS
Medical records were reviewed for the presence and nature of clinical signs of CNS disease, and computed tomographic and magnetic resonance images were reviewed for evidence of a pituitary tumor.


RESULTS
60 of the 84 (71%) dogs without neurologic abnormalities and 48 of the 73 (66%) dogs with neurologic abnormalities had a detectable pituitary tumor. However, 17 of the 84 (20%) dogs without neurologic abnormalities had a pituitary macrotumor (ie, a tumor > or = 10 mm in height), and 41 of the 73 (56%) dogs with neurologic abnormalities did not have a detectable pituitary tumor or had a pituitary microtumor. Vague signs of CNS dysfunction (ie, lethargy, inappetence, and mental dullness) were more specific for detection of pituitary macrotumors than were CNS-specific signs (ie, seizure or blindness).


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggested that there was no apparent relationship between a pituitary tumor and development of neurologic abnormalities in dogs with PDH. In addition, neurologic abnormalities in dogs with pituitary macrotumors were often vague (ie, lethargy, inappetence, and mental dullness).
Wood
Farica D
FD
Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Pollard
Rachel E
RE
Uerling
Megan R
MR
Feldman
Edward C
EC
D000308:Adrenocortical Hyperfunction / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary