ABSTRACT
The adrenal glands are small (4-5 g each, 4-6 cm long, 2-3 cm wide) and are hidden in the uppermost paraspinal recess of the retroperitoneum at the level of the 11th and 12th ribs. The topographic relationship of the adrenals to the kidneys, aorta, and inferior vena cava is shown in Figure 1. The renal arteries are posterior and slightly superior to the renal veins, and one third to one half of the right adrenal gland is retrocaval. The glands are covered anteriorly by Gerota’s fascia and are surrounded by fibrofatty tissue. Lipochrome pigment conveys the golden yellow color to the cortex and the less intense pale yellow color to the surrounding fat.
