[Nuclear medicine diagnostic localization in primary aldosteronism and Cushing syndrome]

The main indication for 131J-cholesterol scintigraphy is primary aldosteronism. The preoperative localization of aldosterone - producing adenomas may be obtained with the non-invasive NP-59 - scintigraphy in 75-85% of the patients. Idiopathic bilateral adrenal hyperplasia is diagnosed correctly in 90-100% of the cases. In Cushing's syndrome scintigraphy of the adrenal cortex is indicated only in specific cases such as very small adenomas, primary nodular adrenal hyperplasia and/or for the localization of ectopic adrenal cortex tissue. A false diagnosis may be caused by asymmetric uptake of the radioisotope in idiopathic bilateral hyperplasia or by unspecific absorption in non - adenomatous adrenal cortex tissue with symmetric uptake in patients with unilateral adenomas.