Sonography in prenatal diagnosis of congenital adrenal hyperplasia

Prenatal Assessment of Atypical Adrenal Glands: A Systematic Approach for Diagnosis

The aim of this study was to identify specific unusual prenatal ultrasound (US) patterns of the adrenal gland and to propose a systematic approach for diagnosis. Six fetuses with unusual aspects of one or both adrenal glands, detected during routine prenatal US screening, were evaluated. Prenatal and postnatal management are described. A checklist of US features was created to perform a detailed analysis of adrenal lesions and guide prenatal management; this includes the time of appearance, location, growth, vascularization, structure, and presence of findings suggestive of malignancy.

The role of imaging in congenital adrenal hyperplasia

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is an autossomic recessive disorder caused by impaired steroidogenesis. Patients with CAH may present adrenal insufficiency with or without salt-wasting, as well as various degrees of virilization and fertility impairment, carrying a high incidence of testicular adrenal rest tumors and increased incidence of adrenal tumors. The diagnosis of CAH is made based on the adrenocortical profile hormonal evaluation and genotyping, in selected cases. Follow-up is mainly based on hormonal and clinical evaluation. Utility of imaging in this clinical setting may be helpful for the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of the patients, although recommendations according to most guidelines are weak when present. Thus, the authors aimed to conduct a narrative synthesis of how imaging can help in the management of patients with CAH, especially focused on genitography, ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.

Prostate gland development and adrenal tumor in a female with congenital adrenal hyperplasia: a case report and review from radiology perspective

We describe a case of a female with simple virilizing congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) reared as a male diagnosed at the late age of 64. Computed Tomography (CT) demonstrated a large adrenal mass, bilateral diffuse adrenal enlargement, female pelvic organs as well as a clearly visualized prostate gland. This is to the best of our knowledge the first case of such a sizable prostate gland in a female CAH patient documented on CT. We review the literature regarding aspects where radiologists may encounter CAH and the finding of presence of a prostate gland in female CAH patients.

Fetal adrenal gland in the second half of gestation: morphometrical assessment with 3.0T post-mortem MRI

Background

The morphometry of fetal adrenal gland is rarely described with MRI of high magnetic field. The purpose of this study is to assess the normal fetal adrenal gland length (AL), width (AW), height (AH), surface area (AS) and volume (AV) in the second half of gestation with 3.0T post-mortem MRI.

Methods and Findings

Fifty-two fetal specimens of 23–40 weeks gestational age (GA) were scanned by 3.0T MRI. Morphological changes and quantitative measurements of the fetal adrenal gland were analyzed. Asymmetry and sexual dimorphism were also obtained. The shape of the fetal adrenal gland did not change substantially from 23 to 40 weeks GA. The bilateral adrenal glands appeared as a ‘Y’, pyramidal or half-moon shape after reconstruction. There was a highly linear correlation between AL, AW, AH, AS, AV and GA. AW, AH, AS and AV were larger for the left adrenal gland than the right. No sexual dimorphism was found.

Conclusions

Our data delineated the normal fetal adrenal gland during the second half of gestation, and can serve as a useful precise reference for anatomy or in vivo fetus.

Size and volume charts of fetal kidney, renal pelvis and adrenal gland

OBJECTIVE

To establish reference curves for size and volume of the fetal kidney, renal pelvis and adrenal gland, as measured using ultrasound from the 15(th) week of gestation.

METHODS

This was a prospective, longitudinal study of 96 fetuses in low-risk singleton pregnancies, in which we performed serial ultrasound examinations at 4-week intervals. The length and anteroposterior and transverse diameters of both kidneys, the anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the renal pelvises and the length of the adrenal glands were measured three times at each examination, with the average being used for further analysis. Reference charts were constructed using multilevel statistical analysis and comparisons were made with previously published charts derived from cross-sectional data.

RESULTS

We present nomograms for fetal kidney dimensions and volume, renal pelvis dimensions and adrenal gland length. The new charts show differences in shape and have narrower percentile bands in comparison to previously published reference ranges.

CONCLUSIONS

These new charts of measurements of the fetal kidney, renal pelvis and adrenal gland, from a prospective, longitudinal study, may be useful in the diagnosis and assessment of pathology of the kidney and adrenal gland.

Tumours of the fetal body: a review

Tumours of the fetal body are rare, but lesions have been reported in all spaces, especially in the mediastinum, the pericardial space, the adrenals, the kidney, and the liver. Lymphangioma and teratoma are the commonest histological types encountered, followed by cardiac rhabdomyoma. Adrenal neuroblastoma is the commonest malignant tumour. Imaging plays an essential role in the detection and work-up of these tumours. In addition to assisting clinicians it also helps in counselling parents. Most tumours are detected by antenatal US, but fetal MRI is increasingly used as it brings significant additional information in terms of tumour extent, composition and complications.

Testicular Adrenal Rest Tumors Associated With Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is an autosomal recessive disorder that impairs the production of two essential hormones, cortisol and aldosterone. This deficiency results in the overproduction of adrenocorticotropic hormone and overgrowth of the adrenal tissue. Specific forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia can result in ambiguous genitalia, precocious puberty, short stature, and testicular adrenal rest tumors. Common sonographic findings of testicular rest tissue are multifocal hypoechoic lesions and a spokelike vascularity with multiple peripheral vessels. The sonographer needs to understand the correlation between congenital adrenal hyperplasia and testicular adrenal rest tumors so the testicular masses are not misdiagnosed.

[Contribution of three dimensional imaging techniques in the visualization of the fetal uterus]

The prenatal diagnosis of ambiguous genitalia requires a complete examination of the fetal anatomy to rule out any other congenital defects and the analysis of the fetal genotype. In addition any additional information on the anatomy of the internal genitalia, i.e. the presence or absence of fetal uterus, may be relevant to the prenatal evaluation of female pseudo-hermaphroditism. The recent development of 3D and 4D ultrasound technology may be relevant to a more clearly identification of the fetal uterus. Volume contrast imaging (VCI) provides high contrast images by the realization of thick slices of the region of interest (ROI) thereby providing a clearer picture of the fetal uterus. The multiplanar mode may also facilitate the differentiation of the fetal uterus from the other intra-pelvic organs by offering images in three perpendicular planes. Finally, the tomographic ultrasound imaging (TUI) mode offers the ability to display on a single panel numerous 2-dimensional sections, as obtained using computed tomography imaging.

Fetal abdominal magnetic resonance imaging

This review deals with the in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearance of the human fetal abdomen. Imaging findings are correlated with current knowledge of human fetal anatomy and physiology, which are crucial to understand and interpret fetal abdominal MRI scans. As fetal MRI covers a period of more than 20 weeks, which is characterized not only by organ growth, but also by changes and maturation of organ function, a different MR appearance of the fetal abdomen results. This not only applies to the fetal intestines, but also to the fetal liver, spleen, and adrenal glands. Choosing the appropriate sequences, various aspects of age-related and organ-specific function can be visualized with fetal MRI, as these are mirrored by changes in signal intensities. Knowledge of normal development is essential to delineate normal from pathological findings in the respective developmental stages.

Diagnostic imaging of the thyroid and adrenal glands in childhood

This article reviews the clinical utility of modern imaging techniques, particularly ultrasound (US), CT, and MRI in children with disorders of the thyroid and adrenal glands. Radionuclide scanning is the modality of choice in making the anatomic diagnosis in neonates with congenital hypothyroidism, while US is most useful in defining nodular thyroid disease. CT and MRI of the thyroid tend to be limited to defining the extent of thyroid carcinoma. Adrenal US is an essential step in the differential diagnosis of ambiguous genitalia or salt-losing crises in the newborn, while CT and MRI are more useful in defining the anatomy of the adrenals in older children with tumors or diffuse hyperplasia of the glands.