Differentiation of adrenal masses by magnetic resonance imaging.
Eighty-one adrenal masses in 68 patients were examined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Masses included nonfunctioning adenomas (17), metastases (25), adrenocortical carcinomas (10), and pheochromocytomas (23). T1-weighted pulse sequences depicted the anatomy with a resolution comparable to that of computed tomography (CT). T2-weighted pulse sequences provided some histologic specificity separating nonfunctioning adenomas with low signal-intensity from metastases with intermediate signal-intensity and pheochromocytomas with high signal-intensity. Pheochromocytomas could always be distinguished from other adrenal masses. In 20% of the cases, metastases with low signal-intensity could not be distinguished from nonfunctioning adenomas.
Doppman
J L
JL
Diagnostic Radiology Department, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Reinig
J W
JW
Dwyer
A J
AJ
Frank
J P
JP
Norton
J
J
Loriaux
D L
DL
Keiser
H
H
D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed