Relationship between clear cell/compact cell ratio and computed tomographic attenuation number in adrenocortical adenoma.
Clear cell/compact cell ratio in histologic sections from 21 resected adrenocortical adenomas was assessed. Seven patients had Cushing's syndrome another 7 had primary aldosteronism caused by adrenal adenomas and 7 had non-hyperfunctioning adenomas. The results were correlated with the corresponding unenhanced CT attenuation numbers. There was a negative correlation between clear cell/compact cell ratios and unenhanced CT attenuation numbers. However, CT attenuation numbers did not show significant differences between cortisol-producing, aldosterone-producing and nonfunctioning adenomas. These facts suggest that clear cell/compact cell ratio in adrenocortical adenomas accounts for their attenuation number on unenhanced CT scans. However, it is difficult with the use of unenhanced CT attenuation numbers to differentiate cortisol-producing adenomas from aldosterone-producing and nonhyperfunctioning adenomas.
Ichiyanagi
O
O
Department of Urology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Japan.
Sasagawa
I
I
Izumi
T
T
Ohji
H
H
Suzuki
H
H
Nakada
T
T
Sugai
Y
Y
Yamaguchi
K
K
D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D018246:Adrenocortical Adenoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed