CT in spontaneous adrenal gland rupture. A case report.

PURPOSE: To report on an exceptional case of spontaneous, idiopathic, unilateral adrenal gland rupture that caused massive retroperitoneal hemorrhage.

METHODS AND RESULTS: US and CT were performed in a patient who presented with acute abdominal pain. Urgent adrenalectomy was required to prevent the blood loss from continuing. The CT findings were correlated with the histological findings.

CONCLUSION: CT proved to be an accurate imaging modality by which to diagnose adrenal hemorrhage. The absence of irregular tissue enhancement showed that neoplasia was not the underlying cause of the hematoma.