Roentgen diagnosis of the suprarenal glands

The article grades the importance and information value of the various roentgenological examination methods in diseases of the suprarenal glands: a) Roentgenograms without contrast medium, and excretion urography in association with tomography, remain the basic examination methods. b) The significance and information value of x-ray examination of the retropneumoperitoneum is so limited, and the subjective trouble caused to the patient is so considerable, that this method should be abandoned as far as possible. However, it does represent an additional diagnostic possibility in such cases where the angiographic finding is negative, but its application should be limited to that eventuality. c) Suprarenal phlebography is the most relevant angiographic examination method in hormone-active suprarenal diseases. This is particularly true if the examination is combined with blood sampling for hormonal examination. d) Hormone-inactive, mainly malignant space-occupying processes of the suprarenal glands are identified most reliably via aortography and selective suprarenal arteriography. In some cases, the combination of suprarenal arteriography and phlebography can contribute towards establishing the extent of spreading of malignant tumours. (orig.)