Primary hyperaldosteronism: comparison of CT, adrenal venography, and venous sampling.
Twenty-nine patients with primary hyperaldosteronism were evaluated with computed tomography (CT), adrenal venous sampling, and adrenal venography. Twenty-three patients had aldosteronomas and six had bilateral adrenocortical hyperplasia. Sixteen (70%) of the adenomas were accurately located by CT. All nodules of 1.5 cm or larger diameter and 50% of nodules 1.0-1.4 cm in diameter were demonstrated. Nodules of less than 1.0 cm in diameter generally were not detected. High-resolution CT appeared more sensitive than standard CT (75% vs. 58%). Adrenal venous sampling for aldosterone assay was the most sensitive of the three methods, localizing 22 (96%) of the 23 adenomas. Eighteen (78%) of the adenomas were identified by adrenal venography, although two patients with bilateral cortical hyperplasia were mistakenly diagnosed as having a small adenoma. No such false-positive studies were encountered with CT or adrenal venous sampling.
D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006929:Hyperaldosteronism / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006965:Hyperplasia; D010690:Phlebography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000450:Aldosterone