Neonatal adrenal hemorrhage

Abstract

Adrenal hemorrhage in newborn may have no clinical signs, while in other cases it may present itself as an abdominal mass; in case of adrenal capsule breaking, clinical symptoms of hemorrhage can be evident, often associated with ipsilateral scrotal hematoma; finally, it can present itself as an endocrine syndrome if adrenal gland failure occurs. Radiological imaging mostly with ultrasonography (US) plays a key role in the diagnosis of the adrenal masses; it is able to distinguish if the mass belongs to the adrenal gland or kidney. The ultrasonography exam using color Doppler can demonstrate the presence or the absence of a known vascularization into the mass; this is a fundamental criterion in the differential diagnosis with malignant masses as neuroblastoma. If a further study is needed, the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) techniques are able to give a correct answer to the clinical questions and are important to plan surgery.