Cortical hyperplasia

Advanced Imaging for Early Detection

Adrenal hyperplasia is the non-cancerous growth/enlargement of the adrenal glands.If the adrenal gland is producing hormones at normal levels in the blood this condition is known as adrenal hyperplasia, whereas if there is abnormal production of hormones in the blood it is known as a benign adrenal adenoma. Imaging alone is incapable of separating these two scenarios.The enlarged adrenal gland may or may not be actively secreting hormones into the bloodstream. The adrenal gland normally secretes 1) cortisol (steroid), 2) aldosterone (mineralocorticoid for fluid balance), 3) DHEA (the precurser of the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone) and 4) adrenalin (epinephrine and nor-epinephrine).Most commonly in benign adrenal adenomas, the sex hormones (testosterone and estrogen) are affected with either excessive or deficient production.Increased cortisol (which causes Cushing’s syndrome) causes weight gain in the upper body, stretch marks, easy bruising, mood swings and increases the likelihood of developing diabetes.Symptoms of increased aldosterone (which causes Conn’s syndrome) includes high blood pressure, low potassium levels, weakness and cramps in your muscles.