Topics

Topic

design image
Right adrenal gland

The right adrenal gland (right suprarenal gland) is a small, triangular endocrine organ situated in the retroperitoneum, superior and slightly anterior to the upper pole of the right kidney. It lies posterior to the inferior vena cava (IVC) and adjacent to the right lobe of the liver. The gland consists of two main parts: the cortex, which produces steroid hormones (mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, and androgens), and the medulla, which secretes catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine). Its strategic location and rich vascular supply make it vital for rapid hormonal responses.

Synonyms

  • Right suprarenal gland

  • Adrenal gland (right)

  • Glandula suprarenalis dextra

Function

  • Cortex:

    • Produces aldosterone (regulates salt and water balance)

    • Produces cortisol (stress response, metabolism, immune modulation)

    • Produces androgens (secondary sex characteristics)

  • Medulla:

    • Secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine, regulating fight-or-flight responses

  • Plays a central role in endocrine regulation, stress response, and homeostasis

Arterial Supply

  • Superior suprarenal arteries from the inferior phrenic artery

  • Middle suprarenal artery from the abdominal aorta

  • Inferior suprarenal artery from the right renal artery

Venous Drainage

  • Drains via a single right suprarenal vein directly into the inferior vena cava (short and wide, surgical importance)

Nerve Supply

  • Derived from the celiac plexus and phrenic nerve branches

  • Preganglionic sympathetic fibers pass directly to the medulla (without synapsing), stimulating catecholamine release

MRI Appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Normal right adrenal gland is low signal intensity, triangular or V/Y-shaped

  • Surrounded by hyperintense periadrenal fat for good contrast

  • Adenomas may appear isointense to slightly hypointense

T2-weighted images:

  • Cortex and medulla together form intermediate to mildly hyperintense signal

  • Adenomas: usually intermediate signal

  • Pheochromocytomas: often bright hyperintense ("light-bulb sign")

STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery):

  • Suppresses fat, making adrenal lesions more conspicuous

  • Tumors, infection, or hemorrhage appear hyperintense compared to normal adrenal tissue

T1 Post-Contrast (Gadolinium-enhanced):

  • Normal gland enhances homogeneously

  • Adenomas: rapid early enhancement with washout

  • Malignancies: heterogeneous enhancement with delayed washout

  • Hemorrhage: may appear non-enhancing or irregular

CT Appearance

Non-contrast CT:

  • Normal right adrenal gland appears as a triangular or V-shaped soft tissue structure superior to the right kidney, medial to the liver, and posterior to the IVC

  • Attenuation: normal gland ~30–40 HU; lipid-rich adenomas <10 HU (diagnostic)

Contrast-enhanced CT (CECT):

  • Normal gland enhances homogeneously

  • Adenomas show rapid wash-in and >50–60% washout on delayed images

  • Malignancies and metastases enhance heterogeneously with delayed washout

  • CT is excellent for detecting masses, hemorrhage, and adrenal vein anatomy

MRI images

Right adrenal gland anatomy MRI coronal image -img-00000-00000

MRI images

Right adrenal gland anatomy CT axial image -img-00000-00000

MRI images

Right adrenal gland anatomy MRI axial

CT image

Right adrenal gland anatomy CT axial image -img-00000-00000

CT image

Right adrenal gland

MRI image

Right adrenal gland MRI coronal image anatomy image -img-00000-00000