Management of adrenal incidentaloma

Abstract

The term adrenal incidentaloma covers a wide spectrum of adrenal pathologies sharing the method of discovery. The management of adrenal incidentaloma is controversial, and clinicians should determine whether the patient’s health is affected by the presence of a tumor. Critical points in management include differentiating benign from malignant and hormonally active from nonfunctional adrenal masses. The probability of malignancy is related to tumor size and imaging phenotype. Masses smaller than 4 cm in diameter that exhibit low attenuation by unenhanced CT scan and rapid contrast washout by delayed contrast-enhanced CT scan are probably benign. All patients with adrenal incidentaloma should undergo biochemical evaluations for pheochromocytoma and subclinical or overt Cushing’s syndrome, and hypertensive patients should undergo biochemical testing for hyperaldosteronism. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is the treatment of choice in all hypersecretory tumors. If adrenocortical carcinoma is suspected, an open adrenalectomy is recommended. Patients who are not candidates for surgical resection of the tumor should be monitored radiographically for 2 years, and hormonal follow-up should be performed annually for 4 years.

Keywords::

• adrenal incidentaloma
• adrenocortical carcinoma
• laparoscopic adrenalectomy
• pheochromocytoma
• primary aldosteronism
• subclinical Cushing’s syndrome

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

Adapted from [3].