Mensurações ultrassonográficas das glândulas adrenais de gatos com doença do trato urinário inferior (DTUIF)

Abstract

This study is divided into two chapters: the first deals with a brief general introduction and theoretical reference regarding the adrenal gland ultrasound and the lower urinary tract disease of domestic cats (FLUTD), in order to justify the objectives and hypotheses formulated for the scientific research. The second chapter is presented in the form of a scientific article, whose main objective was to perform ultrasound measurements of the adrenal glands of cats with clinical FLUTD evidence and verify association between the adrenal gland size and underlying causes found. For this purpose, a total of 55 animals were evaluated in this study. The others included were divided into three groups: clinically healthy cats (n = 20), cats with a known cause of FLUTD (n = 12), cats with idiopathic cystitis (n = 23). In each cat, physical examination, abdominal ultrasound and laboratory tests were performed: urinalysis, urine culture, blood count, biochemical profile, total T4 dosage. All measurements of the adrenal glands were performed by the same observer at least five times. The measurements of the maximum craniocaudal length and the maximum heights of the cranial and caudal poles were performed. The bladder ultrasound aspects and urethra were also evaluated and correlated with the underlying cause found and urinalysis results. When performing ROC curve, it was possible to differentiate, with a sensitivity 83.33% and specificity 73.91%, cats with idiopathic cystitis and cats with cystitis for a known cause, by measuring the length of the left adrenal. Values higher than 1.076 cm in length were indicative of cystitis for a known cause. The bladder ultrasound aspects characterized by irregularity and thickening of the wall are highly correlated to the FLUTD presence, regardless of the cause.