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Syracuse high (SHA) and low (SLA) Long-Evans rats, bred for differences in avoidance performance, exhibit dramatic differences in adrenal gland weight. Here we examined adrenal weight and composition (i.e., the size of the medulla, zonae fasciculata/reticularis and glomerulosa) following unilateral adrenalectomy and sham surgery in these strains. Adrenals of SLA animals, regardless of treatment, were heavier and contained larger medullas and cortices than did adrenals of SHA animals. When individual regions were expressed as a percent of total adrenal area, SHA glands (age 31–45 days), although smaller in weight, contained a larger percentage of glomerulosa than did adrenals of SLA animals. Unilateral adrenalectomy produced significant compensatory growth in SHA and SLA animals as indexed by increases in adrenal weight as soon as 7 days after surgery. The adrenal enlargement was the net result of an increase in absolute size of the fasciculata/reticularis (significant 14 days following surgery) and a decrease in the absolute size of glomerulosa (significant 7 days following surgery). These results suggest that SHA and SLA adrenal differences may be the result of genetically determined differential pituitary-adrenal activity.

It has been known for a long time that stress has an influence on the susceptibility to disease. As early as the nineteenth century, Louis Pasteur found that chickens could be made susceptible to anthrax by immersing their legs in cold water. In his 1936 paper published in Nature, Hans Selye included involvement of the thymus as one of the three criteria of the stress response, together with adrenal enlargement and gastric erosions. In the past few years a considerable body of data has been accumulated on the effects of environmental factors on the immune system functions, which substantiate these early findings.

Adrenal involvement is frequent in metastatic carcinomas. However, only a few cases of adrenal insufficiency is reported in literature. Clinical symptoms, biology and Cortisol, Aldosterone plasma assays can fail to prove the diagnosis. So, dynamic function test, especially Cosyntropin test, is necessary as soon as bilateral adrenal enlargement is visualised on CT Scan in case of metastatic neoplasm.

Pinealectomized (PX), sham-operated (PN), and control (C) cockerels were randomly assigned to three ambient temperatures (7, 23, or 37 C) at eight weeks of age. Rectal temperature (Tr) and blood were taken from birds either at mid-photophase or mid-scotophase (12L:12D) on five different days of the exposure period (0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 days). After 16 days of exposure to different ambient temperatures (Ta), birds were killed and their adrenal and thyroid glands removed. Serum T3 and T4 were measured by RIA in sera taken from PX and PN birds during both phases at each Ta. Pinealectomy depressed (P less than .05) somatic growth at each time measured independent of T3. A consistently lower Tr in PX birds held at 37 C produced an interaction (P less than .01) between pinealectomy and Ta. Across Ta, relative adrenal weights of PX cockerels (13.8 mg/100 g body weight were greater (P less than .05) than the PN and C average (12.7 mg/100 g body weight). There was an interaction (P less than .05) between pinealectomy and ambient temperature on thyroid weight; PX cockerels had smaller thyroids at 23 C and larger thyroids at 37 C than comparable controls. The PX cockerels had an average T3 concentration of 370.6 ng/100 ml compared to 350.5 ng/100 ml for PN birds. The hot environment (37 C) markedly depressed (P less than .01) serum T3 concentrations independent of surgical treatment. In PX cockerels, decreased body weights, lower Tr, and general adrenal enlargement indicate that the avian pineal gland is involved in endocrine function and maintenance of body temperature as well as normal somatic growth.

Two patients with Addison's disease related to urogenital tuberculosis had enlargement of one or both adrenal glands detected with computed tomographic scanning. Review of reports of adrenal size on computed tomographic examination suggests that adrenal enlargement in the presence of Addison's disease demands further investigation about the cause of the adrenal insufficiency.

Albino rats were fed ethynylestradio to the diet for 2 yr at dosage levels (0.006--0.008 and 0.06--0.08 mg/kg) of about 10 and 100 times the recommended human dose as used in a combination oral contraceptive. The treated rats had typically estrogenic effects on a dose-related basis, including growth retardation, alopecia, liver enlargement and increase in cell alterations, and increased survival rate. Females had uterine changes and males had gonadal atrophy. At the higher dose level, females had gonadal atrophy and adrenal enlargement and animals of both sexes had cystic mastopathy. Rats of either sex given the higher dose had an increased incidence of liver neoplastic nodules and pituitary chromophobe adenomas, and males had an increased incidence of mammary fibroepithelial tumors. Treated rats of either sex had neither increased tumor incidence rates overall, nor increased numbers of tumors compared to control rats. In fact, females had a significant delay in onset of tumor development and less potential for their ultimate development than control females.

The ultrasonographic appearance of the normal canine adrenal gland has not been described. This is due to the small size and shape of the canine adrenal glands, overlying abdominal viscera, similar acoustic texture to that of the surrounding tissue, frequent abundant perirenal fat, and the lack of patient compliance. Adrenal enlargement in association with hyperadrenocorticism, secondary to hyperplasia or neoplasia, can sometimes be identified by finding a distinct structure cranial and/or medial to the cranial pole of either kidney. Case history reports are used to characterize the appearance of adrenal enlargement from hyperplasia and adrenocortical adenocarcinoma. Additional case history reports are included to illustrate possible interpretation problems. Lack of ultrasonographic visualization of the adrenal gland does not rule out the possibility of enlargement, particularly if the enlargement in mild.

A 73-year-old woman who presented with primary adrenal insufficiency and enlarged adrenal glands on computed tomographic scanning was ultimately found to have a large-cell lymphoma that had initially involved the adrenals and the stomach. A search of the English language medical literature revealed only seven other cases of lymphoma presenting with hypoadrenalism, none of which involved the stomach. As in this case, in most of those cases adrenal enlargement was documented on computed tomographic scanning. Despite its rare occurrence, lymphoma should be searched for in patients presenting with Addison's disease and enlarged adrenal glands.

Female rats were subjected to 8 h of daily immobilization for 1, 3, 6, 10 or 15 days. Exposure for 3 days inhibited b.w. and induced adrenal enlargement as well as thymus involution; 6 days of stress

Adrenal and body weights of snowshoe hares from three areas in which hare population densities differed markedly were determined in a search for evidence of adrenal enlargement in the course of the population cycle. In the first area hares were in a sudden decline after a peak. Dead hares were found there in some numbers. Hare populations in the other two areas were still rising (population peaks occurred 18 months after sampling), but hare density was considerably greater in the second as compared with the third area. There were no significant differences in absolute adrenal weight between any of the groups. Relative adrenal weights were also similar, except for significantly higher relative adrenal weights in hares found dead as compared with those shot, but this was apparently due merely to the lower body weights of animals found dead compared with those killed. There was no evidence of significant differences in relative adrenal weight according to sex or age. No gastric ulcers were found in 26 hares taken from a population at the peak of the cycle.

Summary A patient presented with fever, malaise and a staphylococcal wound infection occurring 3 weeks after severe haemorrhage from a lacerated brachial artery. There were no clinical features to suggest Addison's disease but abdominal computed tomography to exclude abdominal sepsis showed bilateral adrenal gland enlargement with preservation of adrenal shape. This was consistent with resolving adrenal haemorrhage or infarction and endocrinological investigations confirmed primary adrenal failure.

A case of adrenal insufficiency secondary to metastatic colonic carcinoma is reported. Because the patient was taking prednisone for an unrelated condition, his initial presentation mimicked isolated aldosterone deficiency with an elevated serum potassium of 8.7 mmol/l. Cortisol deficiency was documented by ACTH testing. The diagnosis of metastatic disease causing adrenal insufficiency was suspected after a computed body scan of the abdomen revealed marked bilateral adrenal enlargement. Adrenal insufficiency secondary to metastatic cancer is reviewed.

Adrenal and urinary levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline were determined in rats subjected to severe ethanol intoxication for periods of up to 96 hours, in rata undergoing withdrawal and in a post-withdrawal period, and in controls. Adrenaline and noradrenaline content of adrenal glands fell markedly to less than eight and twenty percent, respectively, after four days of intoxication. Noradrenaline content, but not adrenaline content, had recovered after a subsequent four day period of recovery. The depletion in adrenal catecholamine levels was coincident with increases in urinary adrenaline and noradrenaline levels over the first 48 hours of intoxication. Urinary catecholamine levels remained higher than control values for next 48 hours of intoxication. Adrenal glands were larger after 12 hours of intoxication, although there was no increase in dry weight. At later times adrenal enlargement was associated with increased dry weight and protein content. This increase in mass was found to be of cortical origin. These results demonstrate that severe ethanol intoxication promotes an intense stimulation of the rat adrenal gland with enhanced synthesis and release of catecholamines, and cortical hypertrophy.

Male albino rats (half with basomedial hypothalamic lesions) were maintained on liquid food. Subgroups were treated with control handling, 15 or 150 micrograms thyroxine, or 5 mg of propylthiouracil intraperitoneally, daily for 16 days. In intact animals, liquid food yielded small weight gains. Also, thyroxine treatment stimulated adrenal enlargement, increased food intake, but produced lower weight gain, while propylthiouracil had no significant effect on food intake or body weight. Lesioned animals showed severe inanition on liquid diets despite avid consumption, and this starvation was potentiated by thyroxine administration. Only propylthiouracil treatment allowed weight gain in lesioned animals. This suggests a metabolic dysfunction following hypothalamic lesions which participates in the development of obesity.

THE ACTION of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) in the bird, especially the young bird, has been the subject of some controversy. Early workers were unable to elicit adrenal ascorbic acid (AA) or cholesterol depletion in birds with ACTH (see Elton et al., 1959, for a review). Similarly Dulin (1953) and Conner (1959) reported a lack of adrenal enlargement in response to ACTH administered to 4–6 week old chicks. However, recent avain studies have confirmed many of the classical actions of ACTH on vertebrates. Perek and Eckstein (1959) demonstrated that “adult chickens” do show adrenal AA depletion in response to ACTH. Similarly, Siegel and Bean (1961) and Siegel (1961) have reported adrenal cholesterol depletion, plasma hyperglycemia and hypercholesteremia in response to ACTH treatment of chickens 46 days old. These authors and Garren et al. (1961) have also reported adrenal weight increases in response to ACTH. The classic lympholytic action induced by …

SummaryA sulfone, sulfoxone, and 2 nitrile steroid analogues, SC-3402 and SC-4473, have been tested in female rats for endocrine effects and compared with amphenone for reference. None of the 3 substances caused adrenal enlargement similar to that seen in the amphenone-treated animals. SC-4473 was markedly estrogenic. This substance represents the first nitrile to be shown to possess estrogenic activity in the rat.

Summary and conclusionsPropylthiouracil administration to guinea pigs during the last few weeks of pregnancy induced pituitary hypertrophy, adrenal atrophy and marked thyroid hyperplasia in their offspring. Adrenal enlargement, without goiter formation, was found in the mothers. A reciprocal relationship was observed between mother and newborn (1–24 hours) regarding ascorbic acid and 17-hydroxycorticosteroid levels. Adrenal and ovarian ascorbic acid concentrations were significantly higher in neonatal guinea pigs, whereas corticosteroid values in maternal plasma and adrenal were 2–3 times greater than in the young. Fetal goitrogenesis did not basically alter the inverse relationship of these parameters of adrenocortical function.

AWIDE variety of stress stimuli employed in this laboratory have culminated in essentially the same effect for young chickens; namely, an adrenal enlargement which was accompanied by an involution of lymphatic tissue. In some instances, the period of exposure to the various stimuli employed was found to affect the magnitude of these changes. This observation prompted a series of studies designed primarily to consider more fully these time relationships in the stress response. The stress stimuli utilized for this investigation were: cold, hypo- and hyperthyroidism, and reduced atmospheric pressures. Cold is perhaps the most common condition of stress encountered by living organisms. Survival in extreme cold for most animals is dependent upon the occurrence of a number of physiological adjustments. As reported by Hoffmann and Shaffner (1950), the metabolic rate and thyroid activity of chickens increase following exposure to cold. Numerous investigators have shown that exposure to cold causes many …

AMPHENONE was synthesized in 1950 by Allen and Corwin1 as one of a series of substituted desoxybenzoins and was selected by Hertz and his collaborators2 , 3 as a compound of potential biologic interest because of its structural relation to synthetic estrogens. These investigators found that the substance exerted progestational activity in the rabbit, and a partly progestational, partly estrogenic activity in the rat. In addition, amphenone was shown to produce enlargement of both the adrenal and the thyroid glands. Later studies concerned primarily the nature of the adrenal enlargement and it was suggested that amphenone interfered with the production of active . . .

SO-CALLED STRESSES of various kinds produce adrenal enlargement (1). Prolonged complete starvation also results in an increase in the size and weight of the adrenal glands of rats of both sexes. Induced for periods of from 2 (2) to 4–2 (3) days, starvation has been reported to have little or no effect upon the concentration of ascorbic acid in the liver (2–5) or of the adrenals (3, 4). Dosne and Dalton (6) reiterate Selye's claim (1) that hypertrophy of, and loss of lipoid from, the adrenal glands is the result of requirement of ‘excessive amounts of cortical hormones’ during ‘an alarm reaction’ such as severe cold or injections of formaldehyde. Miller and Riddle (7) confirm this in their work on pigeons, but Flexner and Grollman (8) using the reduction of osmic acid as an indicator of adrenal cortical activity in the rat, arrived at opposite conclusions.

Aggressive behavior and adrenal enlargement are exhibited in stressed rats following electrolytic septal lesioning. Both these responses are prevented by prior ablation of the amygdalae. It is not clear whether adrenal hypertrophy results solely from modifications of the pituitary-adrenal axis at the hypothalamic level, or is induced via the hypothalamus through modulations of neurogenic stressors at higher levels. Agonistic responses of lesioned animals to excessive handling and provocations during behavioral testing may influence the hypothalamus resulting in increased pituitary-adrenal function and adrenal hypertrophy. In these studies influences of septal, amygdaloid, and septal-amygdaloid (dual) lesions on adrenal weights were investigated in non-stressed (untested) rats. The presence and extent of septal and amygdaloid lesions were ascertained histologically. No significant differences were found in mean adrenal weights of any lesioned group when compared with either the normal intact or sham-operated control groups. Moreover, no significant differences were found in adrenal “specific weight” in lesioned animals compared with adrenal “specific weight” in animals of either control group.

AMPHENONE “B”3 (Allen and Corwin, 1951), a substituted desoxy- benzoin, given orally or subcutaneously, produces marked enlargement of rat thyroid and adrenal glands (Hertz, Allen and Tullner, 1950; Hertz, Tullner and Allen, 1951; Hogness, Williams and Lance, 1952). The thyroid enlargement is associated with reduction in I131 concentration (Hogness, Williams and Lance, 1952) and a lowered metabolic rate (Holtkamp, Heming and Sax, 1952). The thyromegalic effects are not found in hypophysectomized rats (Hertz, Allen and Tullner, 1950) or in those given supplementary thyroid extract (Hertz, Tullner and Allen, 1951). The adrenomegaly produced by Amphenone “B”is associated with increase in cholesterol concentration (Hogness et al., 1952) without evidence of decreased adrenal function (Hertz et al., 1951; Hogness et al., 1952; Heming et al., 1952). As in the case of the thyroid, adrenal enlargement is not found in hypophysectomized animals (Hertz et al., 1950) or in those given cortisone (Hertz et al., 1951).

It has been observed on numerous occasions that the feeding of thyroid extract to animals causes an enlargement of the suprarenal glands, but hitherto no attempts to determine the mechanism of this action have been reported. The present study deals with the effect of various factors on the enlargement of the adrenals, and affords some evidence as to the mechanism of enlargement after feeding thyroid extract. We have also acquired evidence to show that enlargements of the adrenals following thyroid feeding, major emotions, and trauma, involve the cortex much more than the medulla of the gland, if, indeed, the latter is involved at all. The first careful study of the relation between the adrenal and thyroid was that of Rudinger, Falta and Eppinger (1), who concluded that thyroid feeding stimulated the adrenals; similar results were reported by Kostlivy (2). Schafer (3) states that “It may be assumed that the secretion of the thyroid in exophthalmic goiter acts as a direct stimulant to the suprarenal capsules

SummaryAdrenal enlargement, nephrosclerosis and hypertension were produced by a lyophylized anterior pituitary (LAP) preparation in rats kept on a synthetic diet containing no protein, but an adequate amount of amino-acids. The severity of the lesions was less marked, however, than in rats receiving an equivalent amount of nitrogen in the form of a casein-hydrolysate. It appears that amino-acids suffice to sensitize the organism to the production of hypertensive disease by LAP. This is noteworthy since no such pathologic changes can be produced by LAP on other diets deficient in proteins.

In two patients with miliary tuberculosis the diagnosis was first suggested with CT and then proven by histology in both and bacteriology in one case: Adrenal involvement was demonstrated with unilateral and bilateral enlargement, respectively.

The effect of psychosocial stress produced by aggregation in a special cage designed by Henry was investigated in three separate experiments using Wistar-Kyoto (WKY), Sprague-Dawley (SD) and F1 hybrids of the Japanese spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto (SHR-WKY F1) rats. Each aggregated group displayed typical 'stressed' behavioural disturbances. Adrenal hypertrophy, elevation of plasma renin activity and gastric erosions were noted in male aggregated SD rats; while adrenal enlargement, elevation of plasma noradrenaline and gastric erosions were found in male aggregated SHR-WKY F1 rats. Sustained hypertension, however, did not develop in any strain nor in any subgroup within each strain. Gastric erosions were also noted in isolated SD and SHR-SKY F1 rats suggesting that long term isolation of rats also induces stress. Isolated rats also remained normotensive throughout. Reduced haematocrit was found in both aggregated and isolated male SHR-WKY F1 rats suggesting increased plasma volume. We conclude that neither stress due to psychosocial disturbances nor that due to isolation produces chronic hypertension in the three strains of rat studied.

A patient with agnogenic myeloid metaplasia was discovered by CT to have bilateral asymmetric adrenal enlargement. A CT guided needle biopsy demonstrated extramedullary hematopoiesis. The CT and cytological findings are presented.

Tuberculosis and other potentially treatable diseases remain important causes of adrenal insufficiency. Knowledge of the cause of adrenal destruction, although often difficult to ascertain clinically, is necessary for appropriate management. Clinical data are reviewed In eight patients with Addison's disease who underwent computed tomographic scanning and in 31 additional patients with Addison's disease in whom autopsy was performed. Seven of eight patients (87 percent) with tuberculous Addison's disease of no greater than two years' duration had enlarged glands whereas patients with longer duration of disease had smaller or normal-sized glands. Adrenal enlargement was also found in five of six (87 percent) subjects with carcinomatous replacement of the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands were small or undetectable in each of 16 patients with idiopathic Addison's disease. Adrenal calcification was found in nine of 17 (53 percent) tuberculous patients and was not found in any of the 22 other patients. Duration of adrenal disease, adrenal size on computed tomographic scanning, and presence of adrenal calcification were useful clues to the cause of Addison's disease.

The results of abdominal computed tomography in 38 patients with small cell lung cancer are reported. 47% patients had abnormal scans. Liver metastases were present in 24%, adrenal enlargement in 24% and lymphadenopathy in 8%. Two of the three patients (8%) with bilateral adrenal enlargement had ectopic hormone production. Overall 11% patients with retroperitoneal metastases had their staging changed from limited to extensive disease due to computed tomography.

Splenic cysts are uncommon and their preoperative diagnosis is suspected rarely from the clinical presentation. The urologist should be aware that on an excretory urogram these cysts appear as suprarenal masses, suggesting adrenal enlargement. Two recent cases are presented, with a discussion of their classification, incidence, diagnostic evaluation and therapy.

Adverse effects of dantrolene include abnormal liver function tests, hepatic injury, and alteration of the hepatic mixed function oxidase cytochrome P-450 system. The following study conducted in rats indicates that the effective dose of dantrolene that has been shown to decrease hepatic cytochrome P-450 also causes adrenal enlargement with a marked reduction in serum glucocorticoids. The ratio of adrenal wet weight/body weight was significantly (P

In an earlier report(l), we were able to demonstrate that implants of either testosterone or estradiol in the median eminence (ME) could decrease the weights of the accessory sex organs in the male rat. These same implants frequently evoked adrenal enlargement and the implants of estradiol produced an enlargement of the anterior pituitary gland. Some of these effects could also be obtained by implantation of the steroids in. the anterior pituitary itself or in the mammillary bodies, but implants in other hypothalamic areas were usually ineffective. The conclusion was drawn that these gonadal steroids acted locally in the hypothalamo-hypophyseal region to inhibit gonadotrophin secretion and to stimulate the release of ACTH. It appeared of interest to determine if similar relationships existed in the female, and the present report describes the results of experiments in which implants of estradiol or testosterone were located in various hypothalamic areas or in the pituitary gland of female rats.Methods. Th...

A novel hypocholesterolemic agent, trans- 1,4-bis- (2-chlorobenzylaminomethyl) cyclohexane dihydrochloride (AY- 9944), was administered orally to rats, pigs, dogs, monkeys, pigeons and guinea pigs. While AY-9944 decreased the sterol concentration in plasma of all the species tested, adrenal weights were increased only in rats, pigs and dogs. In rats, a decrease in sterol concentration of the adrenal gland was found. The order of adrenal enlargement was: pig >rat > dog. Considerable sex differences existed in response to AY-9944 with respect to the enlargement of the gland. The increase in weight of the adrenals was attributed to the following adrenocortical changes: hypertrophy and sinusoidal congestion. When the treatment with the hypocholesterolemic agent was discontinued, the weight and histological appearance of the adrenals rapidly returned to normal. It is suggested that AY-9944 not only lowered the level of serum sterols, but also reduced the amount of precursor (s) available for corticoid synthesi...

SummaryHypertrophy of the rats adrenal glands has been shown to follow a series of electroconvulsive shocks administered under conditions known to disturb behavior. The adrenal enlargement was avoided by administering the series of shocks during anesthesia of the rat, a circumstance known to inhibit the behavioral disturbances following a series of electroconvulsive shocks. The coincident changes in adrenal size and in behavior suggest that the endocrine changes may mediate the effects of electroconvulsive shocks on the behavior of the rat.

The mode of adrenal gland enlargement in the rat in response to exercise training. The mode of adrenal gland enlargement produced by physical training has been studied in normal, thyroidectomized, and thyroidectomized-hormone-treated rats. The animals were trained for 10 weeks with a program of running in motor-driven wheels at speeds and durations that approached their maximal capacities. Training produced a significant increase in adrenal weight in all groups. The DNA content, and thus cell number, of the adrenals of each trained group was higher than that of the respective sedentary control group. The weight per adrenal cell was also higher in the trained than the untrained groups. These data indicate that adrenal enlargement during training is the result of a combination of hyperplasia and hypertrophy and that this effect is not dependent upon the presence of thyroid hormone.

SummaryAmphenone “B” induces a marked hypertrophy of both the thyroid and adrenal in the rat. Simultaneous administration of thyroxin and Amphenone “B” prevents the thyroid hypertrophy without reducing the adrenal enlargement. Combined cortisone and Amphenone “B” administration prevents the adrenal enlargement without altering the thyroid hypertrophy. Thus, Amphenone “B” exerts its adrenal and thyroid effect by acting through two distinct end—points in the anterior pituitary.

Summary(1) Enlargement of rat adrenal and thyroid glands following the administration of Amphenone “B”, observed by Hertz, Allen, and Tullner, was confirmed. (2) The adrenal enlargement was associated with an increase in adrenal cholesterol concentration. At the same time, the adrenals remained capable of secreting sufficient steroid to produce a marked fall in circulating eosinophiles. Amphenone “B” may exert its adrenomegalic effect by direct stimulation of the adenohypo-physis to produce ACTH rather than indirectly as seen, for example, in thiouracil-induced goiter. (3) In addition to thyroid enlargement, a marked decrease in I131 concentration in the gland was observed. This could be due to a thiouracil-type of action, although the effects noted within the time relationships of our experiments were similar to those produced by TSH and hence possibly the result of increased secretion of radioiodine rather than a decreased uptake. (4) Decrease in size of the testes was observed in animals given Amphenon...

The urinary proteinα2u stimulates adrenalΔ5-3β dehydrogenase activity and prevents adrenal enlargement in estrogen-treated adult male rats.

The ratio of the amounts of thyrotropic hormone in rat and beef hypophyses is entirely different from the ratio of the interrenotropic content in pituitaries of these 2 animal forms. Per unit of weight, adult male rat hypophyses are 7 to 9 times as potent in thyrotropic hormone as beef glands, whereas bovine pituitaries exceed male rat hypophyses in the ability to hypertrophy the adrenal cortex of adult male rats.Intramuscular implants into immature male guinea pigs and subsequent histological study of the thyroids showed that as good a response can be elicited with 6 mg. of male rat pituitary as with 50 mg. of beef.The adrenal weight is almost doubled when 1800 mg. of bovine glands are implanted over a 5 to 10 day period into adult male rats, provided the recipients have not been thyroidectomized.1 On the other hand, as many as 200 (about 1600 mg.) adult male rat hypophyses implanted into intact rats produced no adrenal enlargement whatsoever; however, 350 whole glands administered to one rat did induce ...

Tuberculosis and other potentially treatable diseases remain important causes of adrenal insufficiency. Knowledge of the cause of adrenal destruction, although often difficult to ascertain clinically, is necessary for appropriate management. Clinical data are reviewed In eight patients with Addison's disease who underwent computed tomographic scanning and in 31 additional patients with Addison's disease in whom autopsy was performed. Seven of eight patients (87 percent) with tuberculous Addison's disease of no greater than two years' duration had enlarged glands whereas patients with longer duration of disease had smaller or normal-sized glands. Adrenal enlargement was also found in five of six (87 percent) subjects with carcinomatous replacement of the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands were small or undetectable in each of 16 patients with idiopathic Addison's disease. Adrenal calcification was found in nine of 17 (53 percent) tuberculous patients and was not found in any of the 22 other patients. Duration of adrenal disease, adrenal size on computed tomographic scanning, and presence of adrenal calcification were useful clues to the cause of Addison's disease.