CT-guided acetic acid injection therapy for aldosterone-producing adrenocortical adenoma: A preliminary report of three cases

We reported the preliminary outcomes of CT-guided percutaneous injection th erapy for aldosterone-producing adrenocortical adenoma (APA). Five sessions of injection therapy, 4 percutaneous acetic acid injections (PAI) and 1 pe rcutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) were performed in 3 patients with APA. A small amount of acetic acid or ethanol solution was injected via a needle placed precisely inside the tumor. The procedure was frequently monitored b y repetitive CT scanning. The follow-up period ranged from 5 to 27 months. After the treatment, hypertension was normalized or controlled by a low dos e of conventional anti-hypertensive drug. In 2 of 3 cases the plasma aldost erone levels were normalized. Although temporary symptoms of alcoholic into xication were observed in the single session of PEI, the 4 sessions of PAI were associated with no adverse symptoms or complications. Although this study covers only short-term results in 3 patients, CT-guided PAI appears to be a safe and effective treatment and may be a promising al ternative as a simple and far less invasive therapy for APA.