Magnetic resonance imaging of the adrenal glands: a comparison with computed tomography

This investigation compared magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with computed tomography (CT) in the evaluation of normal and abnormal adrenal glands. Thirty normal volunteers were studied with MRI, and the results were compared with a retrospective review of 30 normal CT examinations. CT identified both adrenal glands in all 30 patients. MRI identified both glands in 29 of 30 volunteers. There were no statistically significant differences between the two imaging techniques using chi-square analysis. Twenty-one patients with abnormal adrenal gland(s) detected with CT were also studied with MRI. The abnormalities studied included bilateral hyperplasia (three patients), adenoma (two), myelolipoma (one), adrenal metastases (six), adrenal hemorrhage (two), and neuroblastoma (seven). MRI detected the abnormal adrenal gland(s) in 20 of 21 patients. MRI was unable to detect calcifications in the lesions studied but more clearly showed the relations of adrenal masses to the major vascular structures. MRI demonstrated corticomedullary differentiation in patients with adrenal hyperplasia and in some normal volunteers. The CT and MRI features of the adrenal lesions are discussed.