Macronodular adrenal hyperplasia in Cushing disease.

Abstract

Computed tomographic (CT) scans of the adrenal glands were obtained in nine patients with Cushing disease as a result of an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting pituitary adenoma and macronodular hyperplasia of the adrenal glands. The findings were compared retrospectively with those in six patients with Cushing syndrome as a result of an autonomous adrenal adenoma and 16 with Cushing syndrome as a result of ectopic ACTH production. Seven of nine patients with macronodular adrenal hyperplasia had hyperplastic adrenal glands in addition to single or multiple focal adrenal nodules. The six patients with hypercortisolism caused by an autonomous adrenal adenoma showed atrophic (four patients) or normal (two patients) ipsilateral and contralateral adrenal glands. Fourteen of 16 patients with the ectopic ACTH syndrome had hyperplasia of the adrenal glands without nodularity, and only two had focal nodules.