Usefulness of Ultrasonography in Diagnosing Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia in Neonates

• Published in: Clinical Pediatric Endocrinology Vol. 2; no. 2; pp. 99 - 105
• Main Authors: Wataki, Kunio, Ohnishi, Hisashi, Konda, Susumu, Yasuda, Toshiyuki, Miyamoto, Shigeki, Sanayama, Kazunori, Sasaki, Nozomu, Niimi, Hiroo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: The Japanese Society for Pediatric Endocrinology 1993
• Subjects: congenital adrenal hyperplasia; neonatal adrenal glands; neonatal screening; ultrasonography
• ISSN: 0918-5739; 1347-7358
• DOI: 10.1297/cpe.2.99

The size of the right adrenal gland was ultrasonographically evaluated in nine neonates, who had elevated filter paper 17-hydroxyprogesterone concentrations in the neonatal screening and/or clinical presentation with genital hyperpigmentation. Ultrasonograms revealed that three of these neonates had an enlarged adrenal gland, and based on subsequent hormonal measurements and their clinical signs, all three were diagnosed as congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to a 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Sonography also revealed that the adrenal gland of the remaining six neonates was normal in size and they also were found to be hormonally normal. We conclude that sonographic measurement of the adrenal gland is a useful adjunct to achieving the diagnosis of congenital adrenal hyperplasia in the neonatal period.