Adrenal Venous Sampling in Young Patients with Primary Aldosteronism. Extravagance or Irreplaceable?

CONTEXT: Current clinical guidelines suggest that adrenal venous sampling (AVS) may not be mandatory in young patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) and a solitary adrenal adenoma on imaging. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to further elucidate whether conventional imaging alone is sufficient to distinguish unilateral from bilateral PA among patients aged 40 years or younger. METHODS: This was a retrospective study where data from 45 patients with PA, aged between 26 and 40 years, who underwent successful AVS between 2005 and 2019, were analyzed. Results concerning laterality on imaging studies and AVS were recorded. Outcome in surgically treated patients was assessed according to the Primary Aldosteronism Surgical Outcomes criteria. RESULTS: In 4 of 25 patients with unilateral aldosterone production according to AVS, computed tomography inaccurately suggested bilateral disease. Following unilateral adrenalectomy, all 4 patients showed complete clinical success. Five of 20 patients with bilateral aldosterone production according to AVS had a solitary adrenal nodule (8-19 mm) on imaging. Two of these 5 patients were treated with unilateral adrenalectomy, neither having complete biochemical and/or clinical success postoperatively. Two of 16 patients younger than 35 years had discordant results, 1 with unilateral and 1 with bilateral aldosterone production, according to AVS. CONCLUSION: Imaging studies inaccurately predicted laterality in a significant number of young patients with PA. In contrast to current clinical guidelines, our results support AVS for subtype evaluation in young adults with PA, including patients 35 years or younger.

Computed tomography contrast enhancement pattern of the uterus in premenopausal women in relation to menstrual cycle and hormonal contraception.

BACKGROUND: There are different types of computed tomography (CT) contrast enhancement patterns of the uterus. It is not known whether these are hormonally dependent. PURPOSE: To assess the relationship between these patterns and the menstrual cycle in non-users of hormonal contraception, and the possible impact of hormonal contraception. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective observational study of abdominal CT scans of 53 premenopausal women of whom 28 were non-users and 25 users of hormonal contraception. The non-users were divided according to menstrual cycle phase: follicular (n = 12); ovulatory (n = 1); and luteal (n = 12). The pattern and intensity of contrast enhancement of the uterine myometrium were assessed. RESULTS: The dominant pattern of contrast enhancement of the myometrium was the diffuse homogeneous type in both non-users and users. The intensity of the enhancement measured in Hounsfield units (HU) was higher in the follicular phase (median 102, range 73-130) compared to the luteal phase in non-users (median 92, range 57-130); however this was not statistically significant (P = 0.2). The HU values observed in users (median 95, range 45-160) were at the same levels compared to those of the luteal phase in non-users. CONCLUSION: The dominant pattern of contrast enhancement in the portal venous phase of the myometrium in fertile ages is the diffuse homogeneous type and is independent of menstrual cycle phase or the use of hormonal contraception. However, these factors seem to play a role in the intensity of contrast enhancement, with a tendency of higher HU values in the follicular phase of non-users.