Magnetic resonance imaging of the adrenal.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the adrenals was performed on 50 subjects: 5 normal volunteers, 6 Cushing patients with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, 14 patients with adrenal adenomas, 3 with adrenal carcinomas, 15 with pheochromocytomas and 7 with metastatic disease to the adrenal. The normal and hyperplastic adrenal glands were imaged in all cases. Using the signal intensity of the adrenals on a T2 weighted image, various forms of adrenal pathology could be differentiated. A ratio of signal intensity of the adrenal mass to the liver was utilized and allowed the differentiation of adrenal adenomas from adrenal carcinomas, pheochromocytomas and metastases. Using the same ratio, metastases could be distinguished from pheochromocytomas as well. MRI appears to be particularly valuable in distinguishing clinically silent adrenal metastases from nonfunctioning adrenal adenomas.