Delineation of adrenal in controls and nontumorous adrenal disorders by real-time ultrasonic-scanner.

In 90 control subjects, 90% of the right adrenal and 38% of the left were delineated by sector US scanner. A longitudinal scan from an intercostal space in the mid-axillary line and a right-anterior-transverse scan from the intercostal space were useful in displaying the right adrenal, and an anterior-transverse scan from the epigastrium was also useful in showing the left adrenal. The latter was not as clear as the right. Moreover, a transverse scan from the left flank did not fully display the whole image of the left adrenal. The sizes of both adrenal images were somewhat smaller than those made by computerized tomography (CT), as shown in our previous study. Although the left adrenal in one case of congenital adrenogenital syndrome and those in three cases of Cushing's disease could not be delineated, all of the enlarged right adrenals in these cases were demonstrated by ultrasonic scanning (US). These results suggest the clinical usefulness of US for the detection of affected, nontumorous right adrenals.