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Adrenal tumors with late enhancement on CT and MRI.

Park BK, Kim CK, Kim B, Kwon GY

The Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Ilwon-dong, Kangnam-ku, Seoul, 135-710, South Korea, rapark@skku.edu.

OBJECTIVES: To identify adrenal masses showing gradual persistent enhancement on delayed contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Computed tomography or magnetic resonance images of pathologically proven 400 adrenal tumors were retrospectively reviewed over a 10-year period. We included only adrenal tumors showing gradual persistent enhancement on CT and MRI performed at 15 and 5 min, respectively, after contrast material injection. RESULTS: Four tumors in four patients (three men and one woman; mean age, 51 years) met the inclusion criteria. These lesions were as follows: two ganglioneuromas, one myelolipoma with infarction, and one angiomyolipoma with minimal fat. All of these tumors showed gradual persistent enhancement, and highest attenuation during delayed contrast-enhanced CT or strongest enhancement during delayed contrast-enhanced MRI. CONCLUSION: The differential diagnosis of adrenal tumors showing gradual persistent enhancement on delayed contrast-enhanced CT and MRI should include ganglioneuroma, myelolipoma with infarction, and angiomyolipoma with minimal fat.

Published 7 December 2006 in Abdom Imaging.
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