Adrenal Mass/Hypertension

MRI is valuable when there is a clinical concern for an adrenal mass. This is often in the context of potential secondary hypertension. MRI provides unparalleled soft-tissue resolution and in a single scan can evaluate renal arteries for narrowings that cause hypertension and detect the presence of a renal or adrenal mass. Further, it can detect the presence of lipids in adrenal adenomas and myelolipomas to distinguish these lesions from metastases and pheochromocytomas. For renal lesions, the soft-tissue characterization of MRI can classify lesions as benign or malignant, and further, for malignant lesions can subtype the lesions.