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Updated: Feb 25, 2026

A Novel Method: Super-selective Adrenal Venous Sampling
Published on: September 15, 2017
11-Deoxycortisol may be superior to cortisol in confirming a successful adrenal vein catheterization without
Naris Nilubol1,1, Steven J Soldin2,3,2,3, Dhaval Patel1,1
1Endocrine Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD 20892, USA.
Aim:
We aimed to compare the performance of nine adrenal steroids in confirming the correct catheter position during adrenal venous sampling (AVS) without cosyntropin in patients with primary hyperaldosteronism.
Materials & Methods:
A successful adrenal vein catheterization without cosyntropin was defined as the ratio of steroids from adrenal to peripheral veins being >3:1. AVS samples from four patients with primary hyperaldosteronism were analyzed.
Results:
Compared with the mean ratio of cortisol without cosyntropin, the ratios of 11-deoxycortisol (p = 0.008), dehydroepiandrosterone (p = 0.01) and androstenedione (p = 0.008) were significantly higher. None of the ratios (n = 8) of cortisol from adrenal to peripheral veins exceeded 3:1, while all ratios of 11-deoxycortisol (p < 0.001) were >3.
Conclusion:
Cosyntropin infusion during AVS may not be necessary if 11-deoxycortisol is used to confirm catheter position.
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