Glucocorticoids are commonly used due to their anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activity, but have important side effects in the liver. The ultrasonographic exam is a non invasive method that evaluates the intrahepatic anatomy and allows the characterization of parenchymal alterations secondary to the glucocorticoids side effects. The histogram is an ultrasonographic measurement that minimizes the subjectivity of this exam and allows a quantitative evaluation of the liver echotexture and echogenicity. Cytopathological and histopathological exams can assist in the diagnosis of hepatic lesions induced by corticoids. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of prednisone therapy in dog's liver by cytopathological, histopathological and ultrasonographic exams. For this purpose, a daily dose of 2mg/kg prednisone was administered to 11 adult dogs for 14 days. Ultrasonographic analyses were carried out using the histogram technique and liver samples were collected under ultrasound guidance for cytopathological and histopathological evaluation in the first and in the last day of corticoid administration. A significant increase in liver echogenicity was observed at the end of the experimental protocol. Cytopathological and histopathological analyses showed citoplasmatic vacuolization and granulation, promoting an increase in hepatocytes. It was found that, even in short intervals and in therapeutic doses, prednisone cause important side effects in the liver parenchyma.
Cytopathology; histopathology; histogram; prednisone; ultrasonography
