LIMITED SIGNIFICANCE OF ASYMMETRIC ADRENAL VISUALIZATION ON DEXAMETHASONE-SUPPRESSION SCINTIGRAPHY

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 26  (1) , 43-48
Abstract
To assess whether a single measurement of the adrenal uptake of 6.beta.-[131I]-iodomethylnorcholesterol (NP-59) on constant dexamethasone suppression would allow discrimination of adenoma from normal and bilateral hyperplasia, the adrenal uptake of 6.beta.-[131I]iodomehtylnorcholesterol (NP-59) was determined in 50 patients with primary aldosteronism (30 adenoma, 20 hyperplasia) and in 13 with hyperandrogenism (6 adenoma, 7 hyperplasia). Bilateral adrenal NP-59 activity at 5 days was seen in 14 of 36 patients with adenoma (normal to adenoma ratio of .gtoreq. 0.5); marked asymmetric uptake of NP-59 was seen in 6 of 27 patients with hyperplasia (uptake ratio of .ltoreq. 0.5). The level of adrenal NP-59 uptake did not serve to distinguish either adenoma from the normal, contralateral adrenal or the adrenal glands in bilateral hyperplasia in all cases. The pattern of adrenal imaging, early unilateral or early bilateral NP-59 activity (< 5 days after NP-59 on 4 mg dexamethasone), best served to separate adrenal adenoma from bilateral hyperplasia.