Taking glucocorticoid medicines is the most common way to get Cushing syndrome. Your health care provider can look at all your medicines β pills, injections, creams and inhalers β to see if you're taking medicines that can cause the syndrome. If you are, you won't need other tests. When Cushing syndrome is caused by the body making too much cortisol, it can be hard to diagnose. That's because other illnesses have similar symptoms. Diagnosing Cushing syndrome can be a long and complex process.
You'll need to see a doctor who specializes in hormonal diseases, called an endocrinologist. The endocrinologist likely will do a physical exam and look for signs of Cushing syndrome, such as a round face, a hump on the back of the neck, and thin, bruised skin with stretch marks. If you haven't been using a glucocorticoid medicine, these tests may help pinpoint the cause of Cushing syndrome:. Urine and blood tests.
These tests measure hormone levels and show if the body is making too much cortisol. For the urine test, you may be asked to collect your urine over a hour period. Cortisol, ACTH and other hormones are be measured in urine and blood samples. Your health care provider also might recommend other tests.
These tests measure cortisol levels before and after using hormone medicines to trigger or block cortisol. Inferior petrosal sinus sampling. For the test, blood samples are taken from the veins that drain the pituitary gland, called the inferior petrosal sinuses. During the test, you are given medicine through a vein to help you stay calm and comfortable.
A thin tube is placed in your groin or neck area and is threaded to the inferior petrosal sinuses to collect a blood sample. Another blood sample is taken from your forearm.
