Bilateral adrenal gland hyperenhancement

Last revised by Daniel J Bell ◉ on 8 Mar 2021

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Knipe H, Bell D, Foley R, et al. Bilateral adrenal gland hyperenhancement. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 29 May 2023) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-28497

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-28497

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/28497

rID:

28497

Article created:

27 Mar 2014, Henry Knipe ◉ ◈

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.

View Henry Knipe's current disclosures

Last revised:

8 Mar 2021, Daniel J Bell ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Daniel J Bell had no recorded disclosures.

View Daniel J Bell's current disclosures

Revisions:

15 times, by 5 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Gastrointestinal

Sections:

Signs

Tags:

signs, shock, hypotension, emergencymedicine

Synonyms:

Adrenal gland hyper-enhancement
Intense adrenal enhancement
Adrenal gland hyperenhancement
Hyperattenuating adrenal glands
Hyperdense adrenal glands

Bilateral adrenal gland hyperenhancement or intense adrenal enhancement may be a feature of hypotension and forms part of the CT hypoperfusion complex.

Adrenal gland hyperenhancement has been described in pediatric and small adult series or individual cases of hemorrhagic shock, pancreatitis, sepsis and trauma ^1-3but has not been demonstrated in larger series of adult patients with traumatic hypoperfusion ⁴.

Adrenal gland hyperenhancement has been demonstrated in adult patients, in both intensive care and polytrauma settings, to be associated with an increased risk of mortality ^5,6.