Precocious ischemia preceding bilateral adrenal hemorrhage: A case report

Radiol Case Rep. 2020 Apr 21;15(6):803-807. doi: 10.1016/j.radcr.2020.03.013. eCollection 2020 Jun.

Abstract

We present a case of a middle-age male who presented in emergency room with nonspecific abdominal pain. A contrast-enhanced computer tomography (ceCT) scan showed a reduced perfusion of both adrenal glands. The clinical examinations and the laboratory tests were negative for an adrenal pathological process. To reassess the adrenal ischemia, a second ceCT scan was performed 5 days later showing an acute bilateral adrenal hemorrhage. These findings demonstrated that the previous adrenal hypoperfusion represented the prodromal manifestation of a hemorrhagic intraglandular process. This case suggests that adrenal hypoperfusion detected on tomographic imaging dictates a prompt clinical management finalized to strictly monitor the potential evolution towards a more aggressive pathological condition and confirms the pivotal role of imaging in the diagnosis of such uncommon disorder.

Keywords: Adrenal; Hemorrhage; Tomographic imaging.

Publication types

  • Case Reports