The application of dual-phase enhanced CT scan in distinguishing adrenal ganglioneuromas from adrenal lipid-poor adenomas

Background The utility of dual-phase enhanced computerized tomography (CT) scan in distinguishing adrenal ganglioneuromas from lipid-poor adenomas has not been reported. We aimed to retrospectively compare dual-phase enhanced CT findings which were helpful in distinguishing adrenal ganglioneuromas from adrenal lipid-poor adenomas. Methods We estimated the dual-phase enhanced CT findings of 258 adrenal masses (42 ganglioneuromas, 216 lipid-poor adenomas) in 258 patients from July 2008 to July 2020 with ganglioneuromas and July 2016 to July 2020 with lipid-poor adenomas. The CT features between ganglioneuromas and lipid-poor adenomas were compared using independent two-sample t test, Mann–Whitney test, and ROC analysis. Results Significant differences were detected in CT value of unenhanced (CT U ), CT value of arterial phase (CT A ), CT value of venous phase (CT V ), degree of enhancement in arterial phase, degree of enhancement in portal venous phase, age, tumor size [longest dimension, shortest dimension, mean dimension], shape, calcification between the ganglioneuroma and lipid-poor adenoma groups ( P