A Dozen Testosterone Samples From One Patient, on One Day?

Laboratory Medicine
Kevin F Foley

Abstract

The differential diagnosis of female virilization and infertility can be significantly narrowed using routine laboratory testing. The case presented herein is an example of a 28 year old Caucasian female patient with amenorrhea, hirsutism, and infertility in the context of markedly elevated serum testosterone levels. This case highlights the use of bilateral ovarian vein sampling for testosterone as a means to localize the ectopic testosterone production and to guide future surgical procedures. Adrenal vein sampling procedures are relatively more common than other methods. Ovarian vein sampling is less common, yet in this case, it proved diagnostic. This case demonstrates the needed cooperation of the clinical laboratory and the patient care team performing the catheterization, for this type of testing to be useful. In this unique case, we discovered bilateral production of androgens.

References

May 15, 2002·Fertility and Sterility·Henry G Burger
Jan 19, 2010·The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism·Maud BidetF Kuttenn
Aug 1, 2012·Obstetrics and Gynecology·Amelia P BaileySusan C Modesitt
Nov 6, 2013·Gynecological Endocrinology : the Official Journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology·Marta TutzerCamil Castelo-Branco

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