Cushing's syndrome

Sixteen cases of verified Cushing's syndrome, and twelve cases of probable Cushing's syndrome were reviewed and data on them were compared with various reports on Cushing's syndrome in the literature. The diagnosis hinges upon a high index of suspicion, and one or several of the major criteria may be lacking. Ultimate establishment of correct diagnosis should be based largely on the clinical features, although stimulation and suppression tests may help to confirm a clinical diagnosis. In well-established clinical cases, with borderline laboratory confirmation, exploration may be justified, especially if tests fail to identify a specific cause. In cases of adrenal cortical tumor, all pathological tissue should be removed if possible, with great care to support and stimulate the remaining atrophic adrenal gland during and following operation. In cases of bilateral adrenal cortical hyperplasia, the problem is one of how much to remove. At present most investigators advocate radical subtotal resection, leaving less than 10 per cent of one side.