CT of the adrenal gland

In the past 11 years it has become clear that CT is the best single imaging method with which to diagnose or exclude a mass lesion of any type within the adrenal gland. In most radiology practices, CT is currently the primary method of examination in patients suspected of having adrenal gland pathology, based on symptoms, chemical studies, or suspicious findings on other imaging procedures. The presentation reviews normal anatomy of the adrenal glands and examines the various pathologic processes that are expected to occur in the adrenal glands. Study of CT results in the adrenal gland has been practically rewarding because it has given radiologists the opportunity to compare CT findings with the pathologic specimens which are removed in to and which can be compared with the image seen on the CT scan. Such an opportunity for CT-gross pathology correlation has not been possible in the assessment of other organs (such as pancreas) or other diseases (such as lymphoma). Problems associated with accurate interpretation of CT scans of the adrenal gland are discussed. Technical aspects of performance of adequate adrenal gland examinations are reviewed. Common and uncommon examples of adrenal gland pathology are reviewed, and certain aspects of adrenal gland biopsy and the management of patients with asymptomatic adrenal tumors are discussed. Finally, CT results are correlated with results of other imaging techniques, such as radionuclide scanning and MR imaging