ULTRASONOGRAPHIC AND ELASTOGRAPHIC FINDINGS OF THE LIVER OF DOGS EXPOSED TO CIGARETTE SMOKE

• Grant number: 24/08631-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2024
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Marcus Antônio Rossi Feliciano
• Grantee: Felipe Gasparini Echem Gomes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Cigarettes are identified as one of the main causes of noncommunicable diseases in the world.Among the negative effects of tobacco on human health, the ones that stand out are systemiclesions that affect organs like the lungs, kidneys, heart, and livers. Based on research andresults found on ultrasounds and elastography already obtained by human medicine, this studyaims to detect and describe probable abnormalities in the liver tissue of dogs as a result ofpassive exposure to cigarette smoke. For this, 30 dogs will be evaluated in two differentexperimental groups for comparison: 15 dogs who have been exposed to cigarette smoke formore than 2 years and do not have a history or clinical signs associated with liver disease(group 1), and 15 dogs who have not been exposed to cigarette some or have had progressiveliver changes in the last six months (group 2, control). For this experiment, an ultrasounddevice from the Italian brand ESAOTE MX8 will be used with multifrequency and matrixtransducers, equipped with specific software for elastography. Through B-Mode Ultrasoundevaluation, dimensions, echogenicity, echotexture, and contour of the liver tissue will bedetermined. Subsequently, based on the elastographic evaluation, the aim is to obtain tissuestiffness characteristics using an elastogram (qualitative evaluation) and average values forshear speed (quantitative evaluation). Such findings will be compared with laboratory tests toanalyze the biochemical parameters of the liver function. The results will be compared withlaboratory tests to analyze the biochemical,iCal parameters of the liver function of dogs fromboth sample groups; and the data obtained in this study will be statistically analyzed at a 5%significance level.