Incidental discovery of neglected 11β-hydroxylase deficiency causing 46,XX disorder of sex development in a 35-year-old adult: A radiologically driven diagnosis

11β-hydroxylase deficiency (11β-OHD) is the second most common form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), characterized by androgen excess, mineralocorticoid-driven hypertension, and hypokalemia. We report a 35-year-old individual with a 46,XX karyotype, registered and raised male since birth, in whom a disorder of sexual development (DSD) had remained unrecognized. Abdominal MRI performed for nonspecific abdominal pain revealed bilateral giant adrenal myelolipomas on macronodular adrenal hyperplasia and a retro-vesical uterus-like structure. On examination, external genitalia showed complete masculinization (Prader stage 5); dedicated pelvic MRI further demonstrated a markedly enlarged uterus with diffuse adenomyosis, in a patient who had never menstruated. Hormonal findings were consistent with classical 11β-OHD (DOC ∼140× the upper limit of normal, ACTH 12× normal, elevated adrenal androgens, suppressed gonadotropins, and absent AMH); CYP11B1 genetic testing, which would provide molecular confirmation, was not available. Glucocorticoid replacement normalized potassium and improved blood pressure, with ongoing multidisciplinary follow-up. This case highlights the radiological phenotype of neglected CAH in adulthood and the role of imaging in characterizing complex DSD when clinical signs alone are insufficient to reach a diagnostic conclusion.

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Publication Details

Journal
Radiology Case Reports
Published
2026-08-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radcr.2026.07.094
Primary Topic
Sexual Differentiation and Disorders
Type
article
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article

Incidental discovery of neglected 11β-hydroxylase deficiency causing 46,XX disorder of sex development in a 35-year-old adult: A radiologically driven diagnosis

Nizar El Bouardi, Amal Akammar, Salma Abouchiba, Hajar Ouazzani et al.
Radiology Case Reports
Sexual Differentiation and Disorders
article

Incidental discovery of neglected 11β-hydroxylase deficiency causing 46,XX disorder of sex development in a 35-year-old adult: A radiologically driven diagnosis

Nizar El Bouardi, Amal Akammar, Salma Abouchiba, Hajar Ouazzani, Nahla Ennejjari, Meryem Boubbou, Ismail Chaouche, Mustapha Maâroufi, Meriem Haloua, Moulay Youssef Alaoui Lamrani, Badr Alami
article en

Abstract

11β-hydroxylase deficiency (11β-OHD) is the second most common form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), characterized by androgen excess, mineralocorticoid-driven hypertension, and hypokalemia. We report a 35-year-old individual with a 46,XX karyotype, registered and raised male since birth, in whom a disorder of sexual development (DSD) had remained unrecognized. Abdominal MRI performed for nonspecific abdominal pain revealed bilateral giant adrenal myelolipomas on macronodular adrenal hyperplasia and a retro-vesical uterus-like structure. On examination, external genitalia showed complete masculinization (Prader stage 5); dedicated pelvic MRI further demonstrated a markedly enlarged uterus with diffuse adenomyosis, in a patient who had never menstruated. Hormonal findings were consistent with classical 11β-OHD (DOC ∼140× the upper limit of normal, ACTH 12× normal, elevated adrenal androgens, suppressed gonadotropins, and absent AMH); CYP11B1 genetic testing, which would provide molecular confirmation, was not available. Glucocorticoid replacement normalized potassium and improved blood pressure, with ongoing multidisciplinary follow-up. This case highlights the radiological phenotype of neglected CAH in adulthood and the role of imaging in characterizing complex DSD when clinical signs alone are insufficient to reach a diagnostic conclusion.

Radiology Case ReportsVol. 21(11)
Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University (MA)
Gender equality
Openalex Percentile: Top 17%
Sexual Differentiation and Disorders
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