The size of normal adrenal glands on computed tomography.

The aim of our study was to determine the size of normal adrenal glands. Measurements of the adrenal glands were obtained from computed tomographic (CT) images in 55 patients already undergoing CT for routine clinical indications. Patients with conditions known to affect the size of adrenal glands or cases with focal adrenal enlargement suggesting a mass were excluded. The following dimensions were measured: the maximum width perpendicular to the long axis of the body of the gland, and maximum width of the medial and lateral limbs. The average measurements for the right adrenal gland were: maximum width 0.61 cm (S.D. 0.2), width of the medial limb 0.28 cm (S.D. 0.08), and width of the lateral limb 0.28 cm (S.D. 0.06). The average measurements for the left adrenal gland were: maximum width 0.79 cm (S.D. 0.21), width of the medial limb 0.33 cm (S.D. 0.09), and width of the lateral limb 0.30 cm (S.D. 0.10) [corrected].