DEXAMETHASONE-SUPPRESSION ADRENAL SCINTIGRAPHY IN HYPERANDROGENISM - CONCISE COMMUNICATION

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 22  (1) , 12-17
Abstract
To assess the contribution of adrenal-derived androgens in women with hirsutism, adrenal scintigrams under dexamethasone suppression (DS) were performed on 35 women with increasing facial or body hair and irregular or absent menses. Based upon the DS regimen chosen (8 mg/d for 2 days or 4 mg/d for 7 days before the injection of 6.beta.-[131I]iodomethylnorcholesterol), 3 imaging patterns were identified. The 1st was the absence of uptake before 3 days (8-mg DS) or before 5 days (4-mg DS) after injection. This imaging pattern was seen in 17 of 35 patients studied and was considered normal. The 2nd pattern was bilateral uptake earlier than 3 days (8 mg DS regimen) or 5 days (4 mg DS) after injection. This was seen in 13 of 35 patients and was interpreted as bilateral early visualization. Adrenal-vein catheterization performed on 6 patients with this pattern showed increased adrenal-vein testosterone. The 3rd pattern, observed in 5 patients, was unilateral early visualization, which in 4 cases investigated to date was the result of an adrenocortical adenoma. The adrenal cortex is a source of androgens in women with hirsutism and hyperandrogenism and DS adrenal scintigraphy can be used to identify those women in whom adrenal-derived androgens contribute to their hyperandrogenism.