ADRENO-GENITAL SYNDROME

Abstract

Six case reports of women from 16 to 65 yrs. old, with masculinizing syndromes not due to ovarian tumors are presented. One had an adrenal adenoma; the other five had hypertrophied or normal adrenals. The 17-ketosteroids were elevated in all. The relative excretion of dehydroisoandrosterone was not diagnostically helpful. Perirenal air insufflation was useful. Patients with a very high dehydroisoandrosterone excretion, or with a tumor demonstrated by air injn. should be explored. Slightly elevated dehydroisoandrosterone excretion and the absence of definite tumor contraindicates exploration, since partial adrenalectomy is not followed by improvement.