Combined ovarian vein catheterization with ovarian stimulation in the diagnosis of androgen overproduction

Use of F 18-fluoro-D-glucose-positron emission tomography-computed tomography to localize a hilar cell tumor of the ovary

OBJECTIVE

To describe provocative testing and alternative imaging strategies used to localize an androgen-producing tumor in a 58-year-old woman with severe hirsutism.

DESIGN

Case report.

SETTING

Clinical Research Center.

PATIENT(S)

A 58-year-old woman who was seen for evaluation of severe hirsutism.

INTERVENTION(S)

Serum androgen levels were measured at baseline, 4 hours after administration of 2000 IU of hCG, and 11 days after administration of 3.75 mg of leuprolide acetate (LA). Magnetic resonance imaging and F 18-fluoro-D-glucose-positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) were performed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Description of preoperative provocative testing and imaging.

RESULT(S)

In response to hCG, T rose from 243 to 288 ng/dL then decreased to 233 ng/dL after LA administration. The FDG-PET/CT scan demonstrated focal hypermetabolism in the right pelvis, corresponding to a soft-tissue density on the noncontrast CT scan. Magnetic resonance images were correlated with the PET/CT, and the right ovary was identified. Right salpingo-oophorectomy was performed, and final pathologic examination revealed a hilar cell tumor with ovarian cortical hyperplasia.

CONCLUSION(S)

This case demonstrates the utility of provocative testing in the evaluation of a patient with severe hirsutism and illustrates the value of FDG-PET/CT when traditional imaging is nondiagnostic.

Selective venous sampling for androgen-producing ovarian pathology

OBJECTIVE

Multiple diagnostic modalities may be needed to establish the source of excessive androgen production in women. The role of selective venous catheterization in this process has not been established fully.

DESIGN

A study of hyperandrogenaemic subjects and literature review.

PATIENTS

Four hyperandrogenaemic women and an additional 132 previously reported cases with available testing data and a pathological diagnosis were evaluated.

MEASUREMENTS

Serum androgens, diagnostic imaging and ovarian venous effluent sampling. Criteria to distinguish ovarian tumours from other ovarian conditions and to localize the lesion(s) were evaluated.

RESULTS

Basal peripheral testosterone levels >or= 4.51 nmol/l (>or= 130 ng/dl) discriminated ovarian tumours from benign causes of hyperandrogenism (sensitivity: 93.8%, 95% CI 85.0-98.2; specificity: 77.8%, 95% CI 66.4-86.7). Single lesions produced higher ipsilateral testosterone concentrations (612.6 +/- 162.0 nmol/l; 17 653 +/- 4670 ng/dl) compared to contralateral values (26.4 +/- 5.2 nmol/l; 761 +/- 150 ng/dl). In women with peripheral testosterone >or= 4.51 nmol/l, a right-to-left (R:L) ovarian testosterone ratio >or= 1.44 correctly identified all 18 women with right-sided tumours and misclassified two with bilateral lesions; 12 out of 14 women with left-sided or bilateral lesions had a lower R:L value. When this criterion was combined with a left-to-right (L:R) ovarian testosterone effluent ratio of > 15 to identify left-sided tumours, overall 66% of women were correctly categorized.

CONCLUSIONS

Peripheral testosterone concentrations identified ovarian androgen-producing tumours, and venous sampling could correctly localize 66% of these, suggesting a role for sampling when imaging studies are not revealing.

The variation of serum cortisol during ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization

AIM

As there is no consensus concerning the variation of serum cortisol level during in vitro fertilization (IVF), we studied it prospectively by frequent evaluation throughout the course of an IVF cycle and compared the value, as control, of cortisol concentration obtained in the previous month (M-1) with the concentration obtained on the first day (D1) of ovarian stimulation.

METHODS

In 23 IVF cycles using gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist/human menopausal gonadotropins (hMG)/human chorionic gonadotropin, cortisol and estradiol were measured at M-1, D1, day 14 (D14, before beginning hMG), day 16 (D16), day 19 (D19), day 22 (D22), day 24 (D24), the day before (T-1) and the day after triggering ovulation (T+1), the day of oocyte retrieval (OR), 15 days after embryo transfer (ET+15) and the next month (M2). Statistical analysis used tests of linear tendency, the Pearson chi(2) test, analysis of variance, Student's t test and Spearman correlation.

RESULTS

Cortisol was non-significantly lower at M-1 compared with D1; although remaining in the normal range, mean cortisol increased progressively after D1, in a manner unrelated to estradiol, with non-significant differences between different time points but a significant linear tendency and a maximum value at T+1. All mean cortisol values were significantly higher than that at M-1 and, except for D19 and T-1, D1. Mean cortisol decreased at ET+15 and significantly at M2, the value at M2 being lower than that at M-1.

CONCLUSION

Cortisol showed a progressive increase beginning from D1, especially after ovulation triggering, and returned to pre-treatment level next month. Cortisol variation was not related to the changes in the E(2) values. Cortisol values at both M-1 and D1 could be used as controls.

Low leptin level in an obese hyperandrogenic woman--potential marker for androgen-secreting tumor

Hyperandrogenism in postmenopausal women is due to ovarian hyperthecosis or an androgen-secreting ovarian/adrenal tumor. Making the correct diagnosis might be complicated due to the possible existence of an adrenal neoplasm secreting testosterone only, ectopic ovarian tissue or ectopic luteinizing hormone/human chorionic gonadotropin receptors in the adrenals, as well as the relatively low sensitivity of imaging techniques (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging) and vein catheterization for this type of pathology. We present the case of an obese postmenopausal woman with metabolic syndrome, hyperandrogenism (high testosterone levels, suppressed gonadotropins), adrenal macronodular hyperplasia and Leydig-cell ovarian tumor. At presentation she had low leptin levels despite high body fat content. After a catheter study left adrenalectomy was carried out but hyperandrogenism persisted. Then, bilateral oophorectomy with hysterectomy was performed and a small Leydig-cell tumor was found in the left ovary. Postoperatively, testosterone and gonadotropin levels were normal (postmenopausal) and leptin level became elevated without change in body mass index or body fat content. In conclusion, we speculate that low leptin levels in obese hyperandrogenic women might be a marker for androgen-secreting tumors.

Cetrorelix suppression test to assess the source of androgen overproduction in postmenopausal hirsutism

A 75-year-old woman presenting with recent onset hirsutism and severely elevated serum androgen levels was evaluated to assess the source of excessive androgen production. Commonly recommended hormonal stimulation and suppression tests, and the usually employed imaging techniques were non-diagnostic. In this report, we describe a new suppression test based on the use of the GnRH receptor antagonist, cetrorelix, to determine whether androgen production was LH-dependent. Cetrorelix, administered in a daily dose of 250 microg subcutaneously, suppressed serum LH within 24 h and reduced serum androgen levels to normal within 48-72 h, indicating that androgen overproduction was of ovarian origin. This diagnosis was confirmed by laparoscopic ovariectomy.

CONCLUSION

The cetrorelix suppression test is a simple procedure that provides valuable information regarding the source of androgen excess in postmenopausal hirsutism.

Ovarian thecoma with androgenic manifestations in a postmenopausal woman

A 50-year-old woman, who presented with progressive androgenization, central obesity and severe hypertension, was initially suspected to have an adrenal virilizing tumor. Her serum testosterone level was in the male range (9.3-11.6 ng/ml) and was not suppressed with dexamethasone. Although no pathological abdominal or pelvic mass was detected, total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. Histopathological examination revealed a theca-cell tumor of the right ovary. Postoperatively the testosterone level returned to normal and the patient had regression of virilism. Our case illustrates that a virilizing ovarian tumor can be small and elude imaging studies, but may be detected by means of well-considered clinical management.

Intraoperative testosterone assay for virilizing ovarian tumor topographic assessment: report of a Leydig cell tumor of the ovary in a premenopausal woman with an adrenal incidentaloma

Ovarian virilizing tumors are rare and can lead to assessment difficulties because of their small size. A 41-yr-old female was referred for evaluation of hirsutism that had increased within the previous 3 yr. Menstrual cycle length was normal. Plasma testosterone was 3.9 ng/ml (normal range, 0.2-0.8 ng/ml), was not suppressible by 2 mg dexamethasone (4.3 ng/ml), and was increased (6.3 ng/ml) after three daily injections of hCG (5000 IU). Abdominal computed tomography scan showed an adrenal nodule (13 x 6 mm) that remained unchanged after 3 months. Ultrasound examination of the pelvis was normal. Ovarian and adrenal venous catheterization did not yield additional information. Topographic assessment was made by intraoperative measurement of testosterone in the samples taken from each ovarian vein (competitive chemiluminescent immunoassay ADVIA Centaur; right ovarian vein, 105 ng/ml; left ovarian vein, 5 ng/ml; peripheral blood, 7 ng/ml). Right annexectomy resulted in normalization of testosterone levels (0.22 ng/ml). Histopathological examination found a Leydig cell tumor of hilar type (1.5 cm). This observation illustrates the usefulness of intraoperative measurement of testosterone by a rapid automated technique for topographic assessment of ovarian virilizing tumor in premenopausal women.

Direct in-vivo detection of atypical hormonal expression of a Sertoli-Leydig cell tumour following stimulation with human chorionic gonadotrophin

A 60-year-old woman presented with progressive hirsutism and elevated serum testosterone levels. Selective bilateral ovarian and adrenal vein catheterization demonstrated mild elevated testosterone and androstenedione levels in the right ovarian vein, which increased considerably 15 minutes following intravenous injection of 5000 IU human chorionic gonadotrophin. Androgen levels decreased remarkably after administration of gonadotrophin hormone releasing hormone-agonist (GnRH-a). On histological examination, diffuse stromal hyperplasia of both ovaries was noted, with a small Sertoli-Leydig cell tumour in the right ovary. This is the first report of preoperative, direct selective diagnosis of a small Sertoli-Leydig cell tumour with such a hormonal expression. Ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumours are rare sex cord stromal tumours that exhibit testicular-like structure and differentiation. These tumours are potentially malignant, can cause progressive virilization (Young & Scully, 1985), and are often clinically manifested as palpable pelvic masses and virilization (Meldrum & Abraham, 1979; Friedman et al., 1985). We describe a patient with postmenopausal virilization due to Sertoli-Leydig cell tumour, in whom a remarkable increase in androgens was detected following intravenous human chorionic gonadotrophin injection, during adrenal and ovarian selective vein blood sampling. A remarkable decrease in the serum androgen level was noticed following an injection of gonadotrophin hormone releasing hormone-agonist (GnRH-a).