[Ultrasonography in the diagnosis of adrenal tumors (author's transl)].

A prospective study was conducted to assess the value of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of adrenal tumors. A limited number of cases (29 patients) was studied, to reduce the possible effects of human and technological progress. Ultrasonography can detect most adrenal tumors larger than 25 mm in diameter, more easily on the right than on the left. The solid or fluid nature of the tumor can be distinguished, but the benign or malignant etiology of the mass can only be determined when there is local and regional spread. Ultrasonography is particularly useful when a suspicious adrenal mass is seen on nephro-urotomography. The indications for ultrasonography have to be reconsidered, however, as a function of the results obtained with computed tomography.