Volumetric Modeling of Adrenal Gland Size in Primary Bilateral Macronodular Adrenocortical Hyperplasia

Context Radiological characterization of adrenal size in primary bilateral macronodular adrenocortical hyperplasia (PBMAH) has not been previously investigated. Objective We hypothesized that volumetric modeling of adrenal gland size may correlate with biochemical disease severity in patients with PBMAH. Secondary analysis of patients with concurrent primary aldosteronism (PA) was performed. Design A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 44 patients with PBMAH was conducted from 2000 to 2019. Setting Tertiary care clinical research center. Patients Patients were diagnosed with PBMAH based upon clinical, genetic, radiographic and biochemical characteristics. Intervention Clinical, biochemical, and genetic data were obtained. Computed tomography scans were used to create volumetric models by manually contouring both adrenal glands in each slice using Vitrea Core Fx v6.3 software (Vital Images, Minnetonka, Minnesota). Main Outcome and Measures 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OHS), ARMC5 genetics, and aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) were retrospectively obtained. Pearson test was used for correlation analysis of biochemical data with adrenal volume. Results A cohort of 44 patients with PBMAH was evaluated, with a mean age (+/- SD) of 53 +/- 11.53. Eight patients met the diagnostic criteria for PA, of whom 6 (75%) were Black. In the Black cohort, total adrenal volumes positively correlated with midnight cortisol (R = 0.76, P = 0.028), urinary free cortisol (R = 0.70, P = 0.035), and 17-OHS (R = 0.87, P = 0.0045), with a more pronounced correlation with left adrenal volume alone. 17-OHS concentration positively correlated with total, left, and right adrenal volume in patients harboring pathogenic variants in ARMC5 (R = 0.72, P = 0.018; R = 0.65, P = 0.042; and R = 0.73, P = 0.016, respectively). Conclusions Volumetric modeling of adrenal gland size may associate with biochemical severity in patients with PBMAH, with particular utility in Black patients.

Automated summary

This study conducted volumetric modeling of adrenal gland size in 44 patients with PBMAH, showing a positive correlation between adrenal volume and biochemical disease severity in Black patients, providing a useful tool for assessing PBMAH in this population.