Adrenal incidentalomas and Acromegaly Flashcards
Adrenal incidentaloma (AI) (3)
- derivative of more than 1cm found in the adrenal gland incidentally (found by chance)
- most common –> hormone non-secretory adenomas
- goal: differentiate between benign and malignant, evaluate where the tumor is functionally active
Adrenal incidentaloma (AI) -clinical symptoms (5)
- most patients have none
- symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome
- symptoms of Pheochromocytoma
- symptoms of hyperaldosteronism
- symptoms of malignancy
Adrenal incidentaloma (AI)
- physical examination (6)
- radiological examination (1)
- sonoscopy (ultrasound) (2)
Evaluate:
- BP, HR
- waist circumference, assess obesity type
- skin lesions - ecchymoses, stretch marks
- hirsutism, virilization
- muscle strength
- possible changes in appearance - compared with previous pics
- differentiate between adrenal adenoma, carcinoma, pheochromocytoma and metastasis
- sensitivity is lower, inappropriate to differentiate between benign and malignant tumors
Adrenal incidentaloma (AI)
- CT without venous contrast
- CT with venous contrast
- recommended for initial patient examination, diagnosis is based on density.
- adenoma –> density less than 10 HV in non-contrast images and size smaller than 4cm - recommended if tumor density is >10 HV, malignant tumors are usually larger than 4cm
- benign changes –> density less than 80-90 HV
- pheochromocytoma –> density greater than 100 HV
Adrenal incidentaloma (AI)
- MRT
- Adrenal scintigraphy
- effectiveness in differentiating malignant and benign tumors, test of choice for: pregnant women, children patients allergic to contrast agents
- not first choice, not recommend for routine patient
Adrenal incidentaloma (AI)
- Positron emission tomography (PET)
- Aspiration Pussy (AP)
- not recommended for routine examination, useful when CT results with intravenous contrast are questionable or malignancy is suspected in other methods
- not recommended for all patients, useful when suspecting metastases or infection, pheochromocytoma should be ruled out before performing it (life threatening complications)
Adrenal incidentaloma (AI) -Hormonal examination (3)
- should be performed in all patients except when imagining techniques are used to detect a cyst or myelolipoma
- suspected adrenocortical carcinoma –> sex hormones and steroid precursors
- primary aldosteronism –> only hypertension and hypokalemia should be investigated
Suspected hormonal activity –> recommended initial tests
- Pheochromocytoma
- Aldosteroma
- Cortisol secreting tumor
- free metanephrines in blood or fractionated metanephrines in urine
- aldosterone and renin in blood
- 1mg Dexamethasone suppression test
Examination for pheochromocytoma (2)
- should be investigated in all patients with adrenal derivatives
- free blood urinary metanephrine or fractionated urinary metanephrine
Examination for primary hyperaldosteronism
-hypertension and/ or hypokalemia
Examination for subclinical Cushing’s syndrome (SCS) (4)
- 1 mg Dexamethasone suppression sample
- cortisol levels 138 nmol/l (5 ug/dL) confirms the diagnosis
- testing for cortisol in urine is less sensitive and not routinely recommended
- if adrenal metastases are suspected –> test for adrenal insufficiency
Adrenal incidentaloma (AI) -treatment (2)
Surgery
- not recommended for –> asymptomatic, hormonally inactive, unilateral incidental <4cm incidence with benign features
- recommended for –> size >4cm, suspected malignancy, hormone releasing derivatives, if the tumor increased in size
Laparoscopic adrenalectomy vs. Laparotomy
Laparoscopic adrenalectomy - with tumor <6cm
Laparotomy - if >6cm or if malignancy is suspected
Preoperative and postoperative period after detection of Pheochromocytoma
Preoperative
- correct BP - alpha and beta blockers
- correct HR
Postoperative
-glucocorticoid replacement therapy –> surgery for cortical adenoma and if Cushing’s syndrome has been diagnosed before surgery
Acromegaly (5)
- definition
- prevalence
- rare
- increased secretion of growth hormone (GH) or somatotropic hormone (STH)
- patients aged 40-45 years
- often remains undiagnosed