title: Bilateral adrenal tumours in primary aldosteronism: localization of a unilateral aldosteronoma by dexamethasone suppression scan.
abstract: In a patient with primary aldosteronism, in which the postural endocrine tests suggested the presence of an aldosteronoma rather than hyperplasia, bilateral adrenal tumours were found by computer tomography. Adrenal scintigraphy using 6-131I-iodomethyl-19-norcholesterol (NP59) during dexamethasone suppression showed early unilateral adrenal visualization on the left side. After removal of the left adrenal gland, which contained a 2 x 2 x 2 cm adenoma, the blood pressure and aldosterone levels returned to normal. A CT-scan, performed 1 year after the pre-operative CT-scan, showed no change in size of the right adrenal tumour, consistent with a non-functioning adenoma. In this patient, the NP59 scan adequately distinguished a non-functioning from an aldosterone-producing adrenal tumour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Hollak
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Prummel
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Tiel-van Buul
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000301:Adosterol; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003907:Dexamethasone; D006801:Humans; D006929:Hyperaldosteronism / Q000209:etiology*; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010912:Pituitary-Adrenal Function Tests; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D000301:Adosterol; D003907:Dexamethasone