CT scan of the adrenal glands

Indications for CT scan of the adrenal glands:

• "jumps" in blood pressure;
• excessive body hair growth, increased sweating;
• sudden changes in body weight for no apparent reason;
• confirmed tachycardia (sinus or paroxysmal);
• deviations from the norm in blood parameters for adrenal hormones (corticosteroids, catecholamines);
• appearance of brown spots or discoloration of skin areas;
• infertility (in case of improper functioning of the pituitary-adrenal system);
• quality control of the treatment performed, etc.

We recommend that you first consult a family doctor or a narrow-profile Specialist (Endocrinologist, cardiologist, reproductologist, etc.) before making an appointment for a CT scan of the adrenal glands.

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What does a CT scan of the adrenal glands reveal?

• presence of benign or malignant tumors (cysts, lipomas, adenomas, pheochromocytomas, cancer, metastases, etc.);
• increase in the size of the adrenal glands (macronodular or micronodular hyperplasia);
• adrenal hemorrhages;
• congenital abnormalities of the adrenal glands and the like.

Advantages of performing an adrenal CT scan at St. Paraskeva Medical Center:

• On the basis of St. Paraskeva Medical Center there is a powerful radiology department, which is equipped with innovative diagnostic equipment, one of which is a 128-slice computed tomography scanner of expert level Toshiba Aquilon CX (Japan).
• Such characteristics of the equipment allow scanning the abdominal cavity with a step-by-step cut of 0.5 mm. Thanks to this, even the smallest changes in the adrenal glands will be recorded by a CT machine, and indicated in the conclusion by a radiologist.
• A full-fledged scanning protocol (4 phases) makes it possible to conduct differential diagnosis of detected neoplasms as accurately as possible, which is important for future treatment tactics.

How to prepare for a CT scan of the adrenal glands?

Computed tomography of the adrenal glands is performed with the injection of a radiopaque drug that "stains" the adrenal glands, internal organs and vessels of the abdominal cavity for better visualization of pathological changes. Contrast is filtered out by the kidneys and excreted naturally in the urine during the day. To check the quality of the urinary system, before diagnosis, all patients undergo blood sampling to determine the kidney samples (creatinine).

Before the examination, the nurse places a peripheral catheter in the patient's vessel (usually on the inside of the forearm), and performs blood sampling for this analysis. In our powerful laboratory, the creatinine test will be ready in 20-30 minutes from the moment of blood collection. If the patient has no contraindications and the results of renal tests are within the normal range, he/she is referred to the computed tomography room for examination.