DETERMINATION OF VARIOUS STEROIDS IN NORMAL ADRENAL-GLANDS AND ADRENOCORTICAL TUMORS BY LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY ATMOSPHERIC-PRESSURE IONIZATION MASS-SPECTROMETRY

Seven steroids in normal adrenal gland and those of patients with aldo steronoma or Gushing's adenoma were measured by liquid chromatography/ mass spectrometry with an atmospheric pressure ionization interface sy stem. Using this system, quasi-molecular ions [M + H](+) of standard c ortisol, corticosterone, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, 11 beta-hydroxy androstenedione and Delta(4)-androstenedione and [(M + H) - H2O](+) io ns of aldosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone were observed as their ba se peaks, and quasi-molecular ions [M + H](+) and [(M + H) - H2O](+) i ons of seven steroids were clearly observed in chromatograms of biolog ical samples. The ratio of glucocorticoid (cortisol) to mineralocortic oid (corticosterone) content was measured, and found to be significant ly lower for aldosteronomas and higher for Gushing's adenomas than for normal adrenals. These findings indicate that the method had sufficie nt sensitivity for the identification and simultaneous measurement of a variety of adrenal gland steroids.