Imaging techniques for adrenal lesion characterization

Imaging of the adrenal gland for characterization of adrenal lesions has made tremendous strides and new technologies continue to evolve. This article highlights the anatomic and physiologic imaging principles that underpin current major adrenal imaging modalities and the new techniques becoming available. This article focuses primarily on incidental adrenal lesions, which are encountered more frequently with increasing use of imaging. This article concludes with a brief discussion of the role of adrenal biopsy, performed less frequently because of the success of these noninvasive adrenal imaging advances.