Approach to the Patient with an Adrenal Incidentaloma

• Published in: The journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 2010-09, Vol.95 (9), p.4106-4113
• Main Author: Nieman, Lynnette K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - complications; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - diagnosis; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - pathology; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - therapy; Algorithms; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy, Fine-Needle; Carcinoma - complications; Carcinoma - diagnosis; Carcinoma - pathology; Carcinoma - therapy; CME; Cushing Syndrome - complications; Cushing Syndrome - diagnosis; Diagnosis, Differential; Endocrinopathies; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Incidental Findings; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vertebrates: endocrinology
• ISSN: 0021-972X; 1945-7197
• DOI: 10.1210/jc.2010-0457

Unsuspected adrenal masses, or incidentalomas, are increasingly found with the widespread use of thoracic and abdominal imaging. These masses may be hormonally active or nonfunctional and malignant or benign. Clinicians must determine the nature of the mass to decide what treatment, if any, is needed. Measurement of precontrast Hounsfield units (HU) and contrast washout on computed tomography scan provide useful diagnostic information. All patients should undergo biochemical testing for pheochromocytoma, either with plasma or urinary catecholamine measurements. This is particularly important before surgical resection, which is routinely recommended for masses larger than 4 cm in diameter without a clear-cut diagnosis and for others with hormonal secretion or ominous imaging characteristics. Hypertensive patients should undergo biochemical testing for hyperaldosteronism. Patients with features consistent with Cushing’s syndrome, such as glucose intolerance, weight gain, and unexplained osteopenia, should be evaluated for cortisol excess. Here, the dexamethasone suppression test and late-night salivary cortisol may be preferred over measurement of urine cortisol. The ability of surgical resection to reverse features of mild hypercortisolism is not well established. For masses that appear to be benign (50%), small (4 cm should be resected and smaller masses should have endocrine evaluation.