Nonhemorrhagic Adrenal Infarction With Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features During Pregnancy.

Abstract

Adrenal infarction is an infrequent cause of severe abdominal pain during pregnancy. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of adrenal infarction have not previously been thoroughly described. A 20-year-old woman, gravida 1 para 0, presented at 27 4/7 weeks of gestation with sudden-onset right upper quadrant and flank pain. A 29-year-old woman, gravida 2 para 1, presented at 17 5/7 weeks of gestation with sudden-onset right abdominal and flank pain and again at 35 5/7 weeks of gestation with sudden-onset severe left flank and upper quadrant pain. In both patients, unilateral adrenal infarction was diagnosed on contrast-enhanced computed tomography after initial nondiagnostic ultrasonography and MRI. Clinical presentation and MRI features of nonhemorrhagic adrenal infarction are described. Nonhemorrhagic adrenal infarction may be an underdiagnosed cause of acute abdominal pain during pregnancy and can be diagnosed with MRI.