[Addison's disease with enlarged adrenal glands in sonography and computer tomography. Differential diagnostic considerations based on 2 cases of tuberculous adrenalitis].

One of the major causes of chronic adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease) is tuberculous adrenalopathy. Since sonography and computed tomography have become generally available in recent years and are of potential help in the diagnosis of this disease the merits of these methods are discussed in the light of 2 cases of adrenal tuberculosis, followed by a review of the literature. Adrenal calcification is the most significant, although not specific sign of adrenal insufficiency due to tuberculosis. Computed tomography has proven to be the method of choice in the non-invasive diagnosis of tuberculous adrenalopathy and in the monitoring of tuberculostatic treatment in this disease. Sonography is helpful as a preliminary investigation.