[Cushing's syndrome. I. New diagnostic developments].
Over the past few years, new diagnostic tests for Cushing's syndrome have become available. Some of the other, older diagnostic tests have fallen into discredit as they could not distinguish conditions from one another sufficiently well. New biochemical tests include midnight salivary cortisol measurement and the combined dexamethasone-corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) test. The high dose dexamethasone test and the CRH-stimulation test have been abandoned as they were unable to differentiate between hypophysial and ectopic secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). For the detection of ectopic ACTH-secreting tumours new imaging techniques, such as somatostatin receptor scintigraphy and positron emission tomography with 5-hydroxytryptophan, have become available.
van Aken
M O
MO
Erasmus MC, afd. Inwendige Geneeskunde, sectie Endocrinologie, kamer H-496, Postbus 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam. m.o.vanaken@erasmusmc.nl
Feelders
R A
RA
de Jong
F H
FH
Pereira
A M
AM
Lamberts
S W J
SW
de Herder
W W
WW
D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003907:Dexamethasone; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D003907:Dexamethasone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan; D006854:Hydrocortisone