Dual adrenal venous phase contrast-enhanced MDCT for visualization of right adrenal veins in patients with primary aldosteronism.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the frequency of visualization of the right adrenal vein (RAV) on dual adrenal venous phase multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) in patients with primary aldosteronism.


METHODS
Images of contrast-enhanced dual adrenal venous phase MDCT (45- and 55-second delays) in 90 patients with primary aldosteronism who underwent adrenal venous sampling were retrospectively evaluated. The degree of RAV visualization on each phase image was evaluated by two radiologists using a five-point scale and RAV visualization rates were estimated.


RESULTS
The RAV visualization rates on the first- and second-phase images were 89 % and 91 % by radiologist A, and 93 % and 90 % by radiologist B, respectively. No significant differences in the score of RAV visualization were observed between the first- and second-phase images by the two readers (P = 0.164 and P = 0.06). The kappa values for inter-observer agreement of RAV visualization on the first- and second-phase images were 0.57 and 0.46, respectively. The consensual RAV visualization rates on the first- and second-phase images were 91 % and 92 %, respectively. The overall RAV visualization rate by using both phase images was 98 %.


CONCLUSIONS
Dual adrenal venous phase MDCT can visualize the RAV in almost all patients with primary aldosteronism.


CONCLUSIONS
• Dual adrenal venous phase MDCT images can visualize the right adrenal veins. • The adrenal venous phase lies between the arterial and portal phases. • Anatomical information will contribute to the technical success of adrenal venous sampling.
Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine (Radiology), Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, 8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan. i@imodey.com.
Satoru
S
Morita
Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine (Radiology), Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, 8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
Yu
Y
Nishina
Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine (Radiology), Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, 8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
Hiroshi
H
Yamazaki
Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine (Radiology), Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, 8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
Yasuyuki
Y
Sonoyama
Department of Medicine II, Endocrinology and Hypertension, Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Atsuhiro
A
Ichihara
Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine (Radiology), Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, 8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
Shuji
S
Sakai
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006929:Hyperaldosteronism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014680:Veins; D055815:Young Adult
D003287:Contrast Media
Adrenal vein; Adrenal venous sampling; CT; MDCT; Venography