Endocrine, C57 P418-437 Flashcards
ADRENAL GLAND ANATOMY Where is the drainage of the left adrenal vein? P418
Left renal vein
ADRENAL GLAND ANATOMY Where is the drainage of the right adrenal vein? P418
Inferior vena cava (IVC)
ADRENAL GLAND
NORMAL ADRENAL PHYSIOLOGY
What is CRH?
P419
Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone:
released from anterior hypothalamus and
causes release of ACTH from anterior
pituitary
ADRENAL GLAND
NORMAL ADRENAL PHYSIOLOGY
What is ACTH?
P419
AdrenoCorticoTropic Hormone: released
normally by anterior pituitary, which in
turn causes adrenal gland to release
cortisol
ADRENAL GLAND NORMAL ADRENAL PHYSIOLOGY What feeds back to inhibit ACTH secretion? P419
Cortisol
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME CUSHING’S SYNDROME What is Cushing’s syndrome? P419
Excessive cortisol production (Think:
Cushing’s = Cortisol
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME What is the most common cause? P419
Iatrogenic (i.e., prescribed prednisone)
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME What is the second most common cause? P419
Cushing’s disease (most common
noniatrogenic cause)
ADRENAL GLAND
CUSHING’S SYNDROME
What is Cushing’s disease?
P419
Cushing’s syndrome caused by excess
production of ACTH by anterior pituitary
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME What is an ectopic ACTH source? P419
Tumor not found in the pituitary that
secretes ACTH, which in turn causes
adrenal gland to release cortisol without
the normal negative feedback loop
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME What are the signs/ symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome? P419
Truncal obesity, hirsutism, “moon”
facies, acne, “buffalo hump,” purple
striae, hypertension, diabetes, weakness,
depression, easy bruising, myopathy
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME How can cortisol levels be indirectly measured over a short duration? P419
By measuring urine cortisol or the
breakdown product of cortisol,
17 hydroxycorticosteroid (17-OHCS),
in the urine
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME What is a direct test of serum cortisol? P419
Serum cortisol level (highest in the morning
and lowest at night in healthy patients)
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME What initial tests should be performed in Cushing’s syndrome? P420
Electrolytes
Serum cortisol
Urine-free cortisol, urine 17-OHCS
Low-dose dexamethasone suppression test
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME What is the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test? P420
Dexamethasone is a synthetic cortisol that results in negative feedback on ACTH secretion and subsequent cortisol secretion in healthy patients; patients with Cushing’s syndrome do not suppress their cortisol secretion
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME After the dexamethasone test, what is next? P420
Check ACTH levels
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME Can plasma ACTH levels be checked directly? P420
Yes
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME What is the workup in a patient suspected of having Cushing’s syndrome? P420 (picture)
(see picture)
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME In ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome, how do you differentiate between a pituitary vs. an ectopic ACTH source? P421
High-dose dexamethasone test: Pituitary source—cortisol is suppressed Ectopic ACTH source—no cortisol suppression
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME Summarize the “Cushing’s syndrome” lab values found in the majority of patients with the following conditions: Healthy patients P421
Normal cortisol and ACTH,
suppression with low-dose or
high-dose dexamethasone (<1/2)
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME Summarize the “Cushing’s syndrome” lab values found in the majority of patients with the following conditions: Cushing’s disease (pituitary ACTH hypersecretion) P421
High cortisol and ACTH, no suppression
with low-dose dexamethasone, suppression
with high-dose dexamethasone
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME Summarize the “Cushing’s syndrome” lab values found in the majority of patients with the following conditions: Adrenal tumor P421
High cortisol, low ACTH, no
suppression with low-dose or high-dose
dexamethasone
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME Summarize the “Cushing’s syndrome” lab values found in the majority of patients with the following conditions: Ectopic ACTH-producing tumor P421
High cortisol and ACTH, no suppression
with low-dose or high-dose dexamethasone
ADRENAL GLAND
CUSHING’S SYNDROME
What is the test for equivocal results for
differentiating pituitary vs. ectopic ACTH tumor?
P421
Bilateral petrosal vein sampling,
especially with CRH infusion
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME What is the most common site of ectopic ACTH-producing tumor? P421
>66% are oat cell tumors of the lung
#2 is carcinoid
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME How are the following tumors treated: Adrenal adenoma? P421
Adrenalectomy (almost always unilateral)
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME How are the following tumors treated: Adrenal carcinoma? P421
Surgical excision (only 33% of cases are operable)
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME How are the following tumors treated: Ectopic ACTH-producing tumor? P421
Surgical excision, if feasible
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME How are the following tumors treated: Cushing’s disease? P421
Transphenoidal adenomectomy
ADRENAL GLAND
CUSHING’S SYNDROME
What medication must be given to a patient who is undergoing surgical correction of Cushing’s syndrome?
P422
Cortisol (usually hydrocortisone until PO
is resumed)
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME What medications inhibit cortisol production? P422
- Ketoconazole
- Metyrapone
- Aminoglutethimide
- Mitotane
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME Give the mechanism of action: Ketoconazole (an antifungal) P422
Inhibits 11 ℬ–hydroxylase, c17-20 lyase,
and cholesterol side-chain cleavage
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME Give the mechanism of action: Aminoglutethimide (an anticonvulsant) P422
Inhibits cleavage of cholesterol side
chains
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME Give the mechanism of action: Mitotane P422
Inhibits 11 ℬ-hydroxylase and cholesterol
side-chain cleavage; causes irreversible
adrenocortical cells (and thus can be
used for “medical adrenalectomy”)
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME Give the mechanism of action: Metyrapone P422
Inhibits 11 ℬ-hydroxylase
ADRENAL GLAND CUSHING’S SYNDROME What is a complication of BILATERAL adrenalectomy? P422
Nelson’s syndrome—occurs in 10% of
patients after bilateral adrenalectomy
ADRENAL GLAND
CUSHING’S SYNDROME
What is Nelson’s syndrome?
P422
Functional pituitary adenoma producing excessive ACTH and mass effect producing visual disturbances, hyperpigmentation, amenorrhea, with elevated ACTH levels Think: Nelson = Nuclear reaction in the pituitary
ADRENAL GLAND
ADRENAL INCIDENTALOMA
What is an incidentaloma?
P422
Tumor found in the adrenal gland
incidentally on a CT scan performed for
an unrelated reason
ADRENAL GLAND ADRENAL INCIDENTALOMA What is the incidence of incidentalomas? P422
4% of all CT scans (9% of autopsies)
ADRENAL GLAND ADRENAL INCIDENTALOMA What is the most common cause of incidentaloma? P423
Nonfunctioning adenoma ( >75% of cases)
ADRENAL GLAND ADRENAL INCIDENTALOMA What is the differential diagnosis of incidentaloma? P423
Nonfunctioning adenoma Pheochromocytoma Adrenocortical carcinoma Aldosteronoma Metastatic disease Nodular hyperplasia
ADRENAL GLAND ADRENAL INCIDENTALOMA What is the risk factor for carcinoma? P423
Solid tumor >6 cm in diameter
ADRENAL GLAND
ADRENAL INCIDENTALOMA
What is the treatment?
P423
Controversial for smaller/medium-sized tumors, but almost all surgeons would agree that resection is indicated for solid incidentalomas >6 cm in diameter because of risk of cancer
ADRENAL GLAND ADRENAL INCIDENTALOMA What are the indications for removal of adrenal incidentaloma less than 6 cm? P423
MRI T2 signal >2 Hormonally active = hyperfunctioning tumor Enlarging cystic lesion Does not look like an adenoma
ADRENAL GLAND ADRENAL INCIDENTALOMA What tumor must be ruled out prior to biopsy or surgery for any adrenal mass? P423
Pheochromocytoma (24-hour urine for
catecholamine, VMA, metanephrines)
ADRENAL GLAND
PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA
What is it?
P423
Tumor of the adrenal MEDULLA and
sympathetic ganglion (from chromaffin
cell lines) that produces catecholamines
(norepinephrine > epinephrine)
ADRENAL GLAND
PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA
What is the incidence?
P423
Cause of hypertension in ≈1/500
hypertensive patients (≈10% of U.S.
population has hypertension)
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA Which age group is most likely to be affected? P423
Any age (children and adults); average age is 40 to 60 years
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What are the associated risk factors? P423
MEN-II, family history, von Recklinghausen
disease, von Hippel-Lindau disease
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What are the signs/ symptoms? P424
“Classic” triad: 1. Palpitations 2. Headache 3. Episodic diaphoresis Also, hypertension (50%), pallor → flushing, anxiety, weight loss, tachycardia, hyperglycemia
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA How can the pheochromocytoma SYMPTOMS triad be remembered? P424
Think of the first three letters in the word PHEochromocytoma: Palpitations Headache Episodic diaphoresis
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What is the most common sign of pheochromocytoma? P424
Hypertension
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What is the differential diagnosis? P424
Renovascular hypertension, menopause, migraine headache, carcinoid syndrome, preeclampsia, neuroblastoma, anxiety disorder with panic attacks, hyperthyroidism, insulinoma
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What diagnostic tests should be performed? P424
Urine screen: VanillylMandelic Acid (VMA), metanephrine, and normetanephrine (all breakdown products of the catechols) Urine/serum epinephrine/ norepinephrine levels
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What are the other common lab findings? P424
Hyperglycemia (epinephrine increases glucose, norepinephrine decreases insulin) Polycythemia (resulting from intravascular volume depletion)
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What is the most common site of a pheochromocytoma? P424
Adrenal >90%
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What are the other sites for pheochromocytoma? P424
Organ of Zuckerkandl, thorax
(mediastinum), bladder, scrotum
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What are the tumor localization tests? P424
CT scan, MRI, I-MIBG, PET scan,
OctreoScan (In-pentetreotide scan)
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What does I-MIBG stand for? P425
IodineMetaIodoBenzylGuanidine
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA How to remember MIBG and pheochromocytoma? P425
Think: MIBG = My Big = and thus
“My Big Pheo” = MIBG Pheo
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA How does the I-MIBG scan work? P425
I-MIBG is a norepinephrine analog
that collects in adrenergic vesicles and,
thus, in pheochromocytomas
ADRENAL GLAND
PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA
What is the role of PET scan?
P425
Positron Emission Tomography is helpful
in localizing pheochromocytomas that do
not accumulate MIBG
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What is the scan for imaging adrenal cortical pheochromocytoma? P425
NP-59 (a cholesterol analog)
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What is the localizing option if a tumor is not seen on CT, MRI, or I-MIBG? P425
IVC venous sampling for catecholamines
gradient will help localize the tumor
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What is the tumor site if epinephrine is elevated? P425
Must be adrenal or near the adrenal gland
(e.g., organ of Zuckerkandl), because
nonadrenal tumors lack the capability to
methylate norepinephrine to epinephrine
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What percentage of patients have malignant tumors? P425
≈10%
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA Can histology be used to determine malignancy? P425
No; only distant metastasis or invasion
can determine malignancy
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What is the classic pheochromocytoma “rule of 10’s”? P425
10% malignant 10% bilateral 10% in children 10% multiple tumors 10% extra-adrenal
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What is the preoperative/ medical treatment? P425
Increase intravascular volume with
a-blockade (e.g., phenoxybenzamine
or prazosin) to allow reduction in
catecholamine-induced vasoconstriction
and resulting volume depletion; treatment
should start as soon as diagnosis is made
+/– ℬ-blockers
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA How can you remember phenoxybenzamine as a medical treatment of pheochromocytoma? P426
PHEochromocytoma =
PHEnoxybenzamine
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What is the surgical treatment? P426
Tumor resection with early ligation of
venous drainage (lower possibility of
catecholamine release/crisis by tying off
drainage) and minimal manipulation
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What are the possible perioperative complications? P426
Anesthetic challenge: hypertensive crisis
with manipulation (treat with nitroprusside),
hypotension with total removal of
the tumor, cardiac dysrhythmias
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA In the patient with pheochromocytoma, what must be ruled out? P426
MEN type II (almost all cases are
bilateral)
ADRENAL GLAND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA What is the organ of Zuckerkandl? P426
Body of embryonic chromaffin cells around the abdominal aorta (near the inferior mesenteric artery); normally atrophies during childhood, but is the most common site of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma
ADRENAL GLAND
CONN’S SYNDROME
What is it?
P426
Primary hyperaldosteronism due to
high aldosterone production
ADRENAL GLAND CONN’S SYNDROME How do you remember what Conn’s syndrome is? P426 (picture)
CONn’s disease = HYPERALdosterone
= “CON HYPER AL”
ADRENAL GLAND CONN’S SYNDROME What are the common sources? P427
Adrenal adenoma or adrenal
hyperplasia; aldosterone is abnormally
secreted by an adrenal adenoma (66%)
> hyperplasia > carcinoma