Failure to visualize bilateral adrenal glands in a patient with primary aldosteronism.

Failure to visualize either adrenal gland by adrenal imaging was experienced in a patient with biochemical evidence of primary aldosteronism. Visualization of the adrenal glands was not possible after the administration of ACTH-Z (1 mg/day) for 3 days. The administration of ACTH and dexamethasone elicited an increase in blood pressure. Although the reason for this failure to visualize the adrenal glands by scanning and for the rise in blood pressure brought on by ACTH and dexamethasone remain unclear, we think that the case herein reported is a rare type of primary aldosteronism.