Horseshoe adrenal gland
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Venkatesh M, Sharma R, Campos A, et al. Horseshoe adrenal gland. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 21 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-25434
Permalink:
rID:
25434
Article created:
25 Oct 2013,
Manchikanti Venkatesh
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Manchikanti Venkatesh had no recorded disclosures.
View Manchikanti Venkatesh's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Rohit Sharma had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Rohit Sharma's current disclosures
Revisions:
10 times, by
9 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Tags:
Synonyms:
- Butterfly adrenal gland
- Fused adrenal gland
- Midline adrenal gland
A horseshoe adrenal gland is a very rare congenital anomaly. It is also sometimes referred to as a butterfly, fused or midline adrenal gland.
It describes a solitary adrenal gland that is present in the midline, with the fused portion either passing between the aorta and the inferior vena cava or passing posterior to the aorta 4.
Epidemiology
Horseshoe adrenal gland is considered an extremely rare entity, isolated to only case reports in the literature 5. Most cases are reported as incidental findings in autopsy studies of neonates and infants, with only few cases described as incidental findings in adults on cross-sectional imaging studies 5.
Associations
References
- 1. Strouse PJ, Haller JO, Berdon WE et-al. Horseshoe adrenal gland in association with asplenia: presentation of six new cases and review of the literature. Pediatr Radiol. 2002;32 (11): 778-82. doi:10.1007/s00247-002-0773-9 - Pubmed citation
- 2. Feldmann EJ, Berko NS, Jain VR et-al. A man with a horseshoe adrenal gland associated with a midline posterior diaphragmatic defect. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2009;33 (5): 717-20. doi:10.1097/RCT.0b013e318199d93a - Pubmed citation
- 3. Ditkofsky N, Bradley N, Jeon P. Horseshoe Adrenal Gland: A Rare Congenital Anomaly. Surg Radiol Anat. 2013;35(8):749-54. doi:10.1007/s00276-013-1105-5 - Pubmed
- 4. Ali Shirkhoda. Variants and Pitfalls in Body Imaging. (2010) ISBN: 9780781797887 - Google Books
- 5. Khurram R, Ahmadi F, Poonawala R, Yasin A. Horseshoe Adrenal Gland Associated with Type 1 Diastematomyelia in an Asymptomatic Adult. BJR Case Rep. 2021;7(3):20200188. doi:10.1259/bjrcr.20200188 - Pubmed
Incoming Links
Related articles: Anatomy: Abdominopelvic
- skeleton of the abdomen and pelvis
- muscles of the abdomen and pelvis
- spaces of the abdomen and pelvis
- anterior abdominal wall
- posterior abdominal wall
- abdominal cavity
- pelvic cavity
- perineum
- abdominal and pelvic viscera
- gastrointestinal tract
- spleen
- hepatobiliary system
-
endocrine system
-
adrenal gland
- adrenal vessels
- chromaffin cells
- variants
- pancreas
- organs of Zuckerkandl
-
adrenal gland
-
urinary system
-
kidney
- renal pelvis
- renal sinus
- avascular plane of Brodel
-
variants
- number
- fusion
- location
- shape
- ureter
- urinary bladder
- urethra
- embryology
-
kidney
- male reproductive system
-
female reproductive system
- vulva
- vagina
- uterus
- adnexa
- Fallopian tubes
- ovaries
- broad ligament (mnemonic)
- variant anatomy
- embryology
- blood supply of the abdomen and pelvis
- arteries
-
abdominal aorta
- inferior phrenic artery
- coeliac artery
- superior mesenteric artery
- middle suprarenal artery
- renal artery (variant anatomy)
- gonadal artery (ovarian artery | testicular artery)
- inferior mesenteric artery
- lumbar arteries
- median sacral artery
-
common iliac artery
- external iliac artery
-
internal iliac artery (mnemonic)
- anterior division
- umbilical artery
- superior vesical artery
- obturator artery
- vaginal artery
- inferior vesical artery
- uterine artery
- middle rectal artery
-
internal pudendal artery
- inferior rectal artery
-
perineal artery
- posterior scrotal artery
- transverse perineal artery
- artery to the bulb
- deep artery of the penis/clitoris
- dorsal artery of the penis/clitoris
- inferior gluteal artery
- posterior division (mnemonic)
- variant anatomy
- anterior division
-
abdominal aorta
- portal venous system
- veins
- anastomoses
- arterioarterial anastomoses
- portal-systemic venous collateral pathways
- watershed areas
- arteries
- lymphatics
- innervation of the abdomen and pelvis
- thoracic splanchnic nerves
- lumbar plexus
-
sacral plexus
- lumbosacral trunk
- sciatic nerve
- superior gluteal nerve
- inferior gluteal nerve
- nerve to piriformis
- perforating cutaneous nerve
- posterior femoral cutaneous nerve
- parasympathetic pelvic splanchnic nerves
- pudendal nerve
- nerve to quadratus femoris and inferior gemellus muscles
- nerve to internal obturator and superior gemellus muscles
- autonomic ganglia and plexuses
Related articles: Inspired signs
-
inanimate object inspired
- accordion sign
- astronomical inspired
- ball of wool sign
- ball on tee sign (renal papillary necrosis)
- boot-shaped heart
- bowler hat sign
- bow tie sign
- box-shaped heart
- bucket handle appearance (disambiguation)
- chain of lakes sign
- champagne glass pelvis
- cobblestone appearance
- Coca-Cola bottle sign
- cockade sign (disambiguation)
- coin lesion
- collar button ulcer
- comb sign
- corduroy artifact
- corduroy sign
-
corkscrew sign (disambiguation)
- corkscrew sign (diffuse oesophageal spasm)
- corkscrew sign (inner ear)
- corkscrew sign (midgut volvulus)
- crazy paving sign
- cupola sign
- curtain sign (lung ultrasound)
- dinner fork deformity
- dripping candle wax sign
- finger in glove sign
- fishhook ureters
- flame-shaped breast (gynaecomastia)
- football sign (pneumoperitoneum)
- frozen pelvis
- ghost triad (gallbladder)
- ghost vertebra
- goblet sign
- ground glass opacity
- hockey stick sign (disambiguation)
- horseshoe (disambiguation)
- hourglass sign
- hurricane sign (cardiac SPECT)
- jail bar sign
- keyhole sign (disambiguation)
- leather bottle stomach
- light bulb sign (disambiguation)
- Lincoln log vertebra
- Mercedes-Benz sign (disambiguation)
- misty mesentery sign
- mosaic appearance (disambiguation)
- napkin ring sign
- open book fracture
- pearl necklace sign
- pencil in a cup
- picture frame vertebral body
- polka-dot sign
- rachitic rosary
- ribbon rib deformity
- ring shadow
- rugger jersey spine
- sack of marbles sign
- sail sign (disambiguation)
- scalpel sign
- spilt teacup sign
- stepladder sign (disambiguation)
-
string of pearls sign (disambiguation)
- string of pearls sign (abdominal radiograph of small bowel)
- string of pearls sign (polycystic ovarian syndrome)
- string of pearls sign (fibromuscular dysplasia)
- string of pearls sign (watershed infarction)
- Tam o' Shanter sign
- telephone receiver deformity
- thimble bladder
- tombstone iliac wings
- Venetian blind sign
- Venus necklace sign
- water bottle sign
-
weapon and munition inspired signs
- arrowhead sign
- bayonet artifact
- bayonet deformity
- boomerang sign (disambiguation)
- bullet-shaped vertebra
- cannonball metastases
- Cupid bow contour
- dagger sign
- double barrel sign
- halberd pelvis
- hatchet sign
- panzerherz
- pistol grip deformity
- saber-sheath trachea
- scimitar syndrome
-
target sign (disambiguation)
- double target sign (hepatic abscess)
- eccentric target sign (cerebral toxoplasmosis)
- reverse target sign (cirrhotic nodules)
- target sign (cholangiocarcinoma)
- target sign (choledocholithiasis)
- target sign (hepatic metastases)
- target sign (intussusception)
- target sign (neurofibromas)
- target sign (pyloric stenosis)
- target sign (tuberculosis)
- trident appearance
- Viking helmet sign
- white pyramid sign
- windswept knees
- wine bottle sign
-
vegetable and plant inspired
- aubergine sign
- bamboo spine
- blade of grass sign
- celery stalk appearance (disambiguation)
- coconut left atrium
- coffee bean sign
- cotton wool appearance
- drooping lily sign
- ginkgo leaf sign (disambiguation)
- holly leaf sign
- iris sign
- ivy sign
- miliary opacities
- mistletoe sign
- onion signs (disambiguation)
- pine cone bladder
-
popcorn calcification (disambiguation)
- popcorn calcification (breast)
- popcorn calcification (chondroid lesions)
- popcorn calcification (fibrous dysplasia)
- popcorn calcification (osteogenesis imperfecta)
- popcorn calcification (pulmonary hamartomas)
- popcorn calcification (uterine fibroid)
- potato nodes
- rice signs (disambiguation)
- salt and pepper sign (disambiguation)
- tombstone iliac wings
- tree-in-bud
- tulip sign
- water lily sign
-
fruit inspired
- apple core sign (disambiguation)
- apple-peel intestinal atresia
- banana and egg sign
- banana fracture
- banana sign
- berry aneurysm
- bowl of grapes sign
-
bunch of grapes sign (disambiguation)
- bunch of grapes sign (hydatidiform mole)
- bunch of grapes sign (bronchiectasis)
- bunch of grapes sign (IPMN)
- bunch of grapes sign (botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma)
- bunch of grapes sign (intracranial tuberculoma)
- bunch of grapes sign (intraosseous haemangiomas)
- bunch of grapes sign (multicystic dysplastic kidney)
- cashew nut sign
- lemon sign
- pear-shaped bladder
- strawberry gallbladder
- strawberry skull
- watermelon skin sign
-
animal and animal produce inspired
- human
- mammals
- anteater nose sign
- antler sign
- batwing opacities
- bear paw sign
- beaver tail liver
- Brahma bull sign
- buffalo chest
- bull's eye sign (disambiguation)
- bunny waveform sign
- claw sign
- dog ear sign
- dog leg sign
- dromedary hump
- ears of the lynx sign
- eye of tiger sign
- feline oesophagus
- giraffe pattern
- hidebound sign
- ivory phalanx
- ivory vertebra sign
- joint mouse
- leaping dolphin sign
- leopard skin sign
- moose head appearance
- panda sign
- piglet sign
- pleural mouse
- raccoon eyes sign
- rat bite erosions
- rat-tail sign
- Scottie dog sign
- Snoopy sign
- stag's antler sign
- staghorn calculus
- tiger stripe sign
-
zebra sign (disambiguation)
- zebra sign: (cerebellar haemorrhage)
- zebra spleen: arterial phase (spleen)
- zebra stripe sign (osteogenesis imperfecta)
- amphibians
- birds
- bird beak sign (disambiguation)
- bird's nest sign (lung)
- crow feet sign
- egg on a string sign
- eggshell calcification (breast)
- eggshell calcification (lymph nodes)
- gooseneck sign (endocardial cushion defect)
- gull wing appearance
- hummingbird sign
- owl eyes sign
- pooping duck sign
- sitting duck appearance
- swallowtail sign
- swan neck deformity
- winking owl sign
- fish and marine life
- reptiles
- arthropods
- micro-organisms
- fictional creatures
-
food inspired
- Cheerio sign (disambiguation)
- chocolate cyst
- cottage loaf sign
- double Oreo cookie (glenoid labrum)
- doughnut sign (disambiguation)
- hamburger sign (spine)
- head cheese sign (lungs)
- honeycombing (lungs)
- hot cross bun sign (pons)
- ice cream cone sign (middle ear ossicles)
- ice cream cone sign (vestibular schwannoma)
- licked candy stick appearance (bones)
- linguine sign (breast implants)
- macaroni sign
- omental cake
- Oreo cookie (heart)
- pancake organ (disambiguation)
- Polo mint sign
- salad oil sign (breast implants)
- sandwich sign (disambiguation)
- sandwich vertebra
- sausage digit
- spaghetti sign
- Swiss cheese sign
-
alphabet inspired
- A line (US artifact)
- C sign (MSK)
- delta sign (disambiguation)
- E sign
- H-shaped vertebra
- H sign
- J-shaped sella
- J sign (shoulder)
- L sign (brain)
- lambda sign (disambiguation)
- M sign
- omega epiglottis
- O sign (gastric banding)
- P sign (epiglottis)
- S sign of Golden
- tau sign
- T sign (disambiguation)
- U fibres
- U-figure (pelvis)
- U sign (brain)
- V sign (disambiguation)
- W hernia
- X-marks-the-spot sign
- Y sign (epidural lipomatosis)
- Z deformity
-
Christmas inspired
- Christmas tree bladder in neurogenic bladder
- holly leaf sign in calcified pleural plaques
- ivy sign in leptomeningeal enhancement
- nutcracker oesophagus in oesophageal dysmotility
- shepherd's crook deformity of the femur in fibrous dysplasia
- snowcap sign in avascular necrosis
- snowman sign (disambiguation)
- snowstorm appearance in complete hydatidiform mole and testicular microlithiasis
- miscellaneous
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.
