Ultrasonographic diagnosis of the adrenal lesion

To evaluate the accuracy and efficacy of ultrasonography for diagnosis of the adrenal mass, sonographic results of the 45 patients who underwent computed tomography and ultrasonography were analysed. Sixteen patients of them were verified at operation and the remainder was finally diagnosed by clinical and endocrinological examination. Overall diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of ultrasonography in the adrenal disease are 84%, 81%, 100%, 100% and 53%, respectively. Of the seven negative diagnosis, six cases were small mass(under 2cm)and five cases were located in the left adrenal gland. Ultrasonography is efficient as a primary diagnostic method in detecting the adrenal mass. but small mass less than 2 cm, especially in the left adrenal gland is difficult to diagnose by ultrasonography