[131-I cholesterol (19-C) in the functional and localization diagnosis of adrenal cortex disorders].

Abstract

Results are reported of quantitative adrenal scintigraphy with 131I-cholesterol in 8 patients with normal adrenal function before and after ACTH-stimulation and cortisol-suppression respectively, in one case with an adrenal metastasis from a pulmonary cancer, in two cases with Cushing's disease and in 7 cases with Conn's disease. In normal cases and in patients with M. Cushing a diagnosis of adrenal cortical function is possible with this method but can usually be replaced by more specific biochemical studies of serum and urine. The scintigraphic method is in addition of value in localization studies and can in unequivocal cases replace the selective adrenal phlebography. In patients with M. Conn increased uptake values (bilateral adrenal cortex hyperplasia) as well as reduced or non-detectable uptakes were observed, one of these cases suffering from a cortex carcinoma with M. Conn.