[Analysis of corticoids in adrenal glands by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)]

[HPLC analysis of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in serum with use of solid-phase extraction on hyper cross-linked polystyrene (Purosep-200)]

We have developed a simple HPLC method for analysis of the dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-sulfate) in serum with use a new procedure of solid-phase extraction (SPE) on hyper cross-linked polystyrene (Purosep-200) and fast chromatographic separation on the monolithic column under isocratic elution and UV detection at 200 nm. Complete SPE procedure lasts for about 7 min, chromatographic separation takes less than 6 min. Simplicity and high reproducibility of this method makes it attractive in routine clinical practice.

Nonfunctioning adrenal cortical cancer and analysis of the steroidogenic activity of the tumor: a case report

An adrenocortical cancer was detected by a CT scan in a 37-year-old woman, which did not have an excessive secretion of steroids or catecholamines. The tumor was enhanced inhomogeneously by the bolus injection of contrast medium, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed that the tumor was hypointense compared to the liver on a T1-weighted image and was diffusely hyperintense on a T2-weighted image. Histologically, the tumor consisted predominantly of compact cells with marked cellular and nuclear pleomorphism, but no capsular or vascular invasion were observed. An analysis of the steroidogenic activity of the tumor revealed that the activity of mitochondrial P450c11beta was extremely reduced in the tumor.