The development of ectopic testicular adrenal rest tissue (TART) in the children and adolescents presenting with congenital adrenal cortical dysfunction

Abstract

We have evaluated the prevalence of the ectopic testicular adrenal rest tissue (TART) among 71 patients at the age varying from 1 to 19 years and compared the visualization techniques (ultrasound examination, MRI) employed to diagnose TART. This condition was revealed in 14.1% of the patients (10/71). One of them presented with the simple virile (SV) form of the disease and 9 with the salt-wasting one. Most cases of TART (9 of the ten) were diagnosed with the help of the ultrasound technique whereas MRI allowed to determine the size of the neoplasms. The study has demonstrated the relationship between TART and 17-OH and PRA (plasma rennin activity) levels at the time of their measurement. Moreover, the relationship between the number of measurements and the PRA level during the last year has been documented. It is concluded that TART most frequently develops in the children given the poorly controlled treatment; the insufficiency of both gluco- and mineralocorticoids is a predetermining but not the sole risk factor of the condition being considered.