Primary aldosteronism with bilateral adrenal adenomas.

An unusual case of primary aldosteronism with bilateral single adenomas is reported. The two tumors were revealed by computerized axial tomography and subsequently confirmed by surgical exploration. Spironolactone therapy prior to the operation induced the formation of spironolactone bodies in only one of the two adenomas. As it has been postulated that these cytoplasmic inclusions may reflect the activity of the adenomatous cells, the presence of the bodies in a single adenoma would indicate a unilateral source of the hyperaldosteronism. Thus, the existence of spironolactone bodies could corroborate the data of functional localizing tests more closely than the morphological findings of computerized tomography.