THE ROLE OF COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY AND IODOM ETHYL-NORCHOLESTEROL SCINTIGRAPHY IN PRIMARY HYPERALDOSTERONISM ETIOLOGY

The major etiologies of primary aldosteronism are aldosterone-producin g adrenal adenoma, requiring a surgical treatment, and bilateral hyper plasia, usually managed with medical therapy. We only report a retrosp ective study on 22 patients with primary aldosteronism diagnosed by cl inical and usual biochemical tests. All the patients were explored by computed tomography scan (CT) and iodomethyl-norcholesterol scintigrap hy. The purpose of this study was to compare the capacity of the two m ethods to differentiate adrenal adenoma and hyperplasia. The CT scan w as more sensitive (sensitivity: 88%) compare to scintigraphy (sensitiv ity: 64%) for the diagnosis of adrenal adenoma. However, the scintigra phy was a useful tool to detect asymetric macronodular adrenal hyperpl asia. Therefore, the catheterisation of adrenal venous would be only n ecessary for a few cases. We conclude from this study and the literatu re review that CT scan and iodomethyl-norcholesterol scintigraphy are complementary and both useful to increase diagnostic reliability of pr imary aldosteronism.