Diagnosis of adrenal tumors with radionuclide imaging

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Spec. Top. Endocrinol. Metab.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5522039

Beierwaltes, W H; Sisson, J C; Shapiro, B

The development of radiolabeled cholesterols in 1969 as precursors of adrenocortical steroid production allowed the first noninvasive imaging of the adrenal cortices. FDA-NDA approval in 1984 should allow routine use of these agents in most hospitals. NP-59 is most commonly used in the diagnosis and management of Cushing syndrome; the second most common use is in the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism. It is also helpful in the differential diagnosis of adrenal and ovarian hyperandrogenism and hirsutism, and is the only noninvasive method of detecting unilateral adrenocortical hypofunction. The newest and most popular use is in the differential diagnosis of asymptomatic masses in the region of the adrenal gland discovered incidentally with CT scan (incidentalomas). In this situation, the NP-59 scan can define whether the tumor is in the adrenal gland and if it is functional or nonfunctional. The authors believe that, in the future, radiolabeled enzyme inhibitors might offer better diagnostic imaging of the adrenal cortex, although these agents will probably not be available for routine use for some time. The development of a radioiodinated guanethidine analog, /sup 131/I-MIBG, has allowed differentiation of normal adrenal medullary function from bilateral adrenal medullary hyperplasia before the development of hypertension or tachycardia, diagnostic increases in plasma or urinary catecholamines, or abnormal CT scans. The search for a pheochromocytoma should begin with /sup 131/I-MIBG scintigraphy. While over 90% of primary pheochromocytomas occur in the abdomen, neither a survey of the abdomen nor the finding of a single tumor should conclude the search.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• OSTI ID: 5522039
• Journal Information: Spec. Top. Endocrinol. Metab.; (United States), Journal Name: Spec. Top. Endocrinol. Metab.; (United States) Vol. 6; ISSN SEMTD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ADRENAL GLANDS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
CUSHING SYNDROME
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC USES
DISEASES
ENDOCRINE DISEASES
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
ENZYME INHIBITORS
GLANDS
HYPERTENSION
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
IODINE 131
IODINE ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANS
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
RADIOISOTOPES
SYMPTOMS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
USES
VASCULAR DISEASES