In up to 10% of post-mortems and 4% of abdominal CTs a mass on the adrenal gland is found unexpectedly. The important causes of incidental tumours include lesions that produce (functioning) or do not produce (non-functioning) hormones. The most important causes are listed below:
Unilateral | Bilateral |
---|---|
Functioning | Functioning |
Adrenal adenoma | ACTH-dep Cushing's syndrome |
Adrenal carcinoma |
CAH |
Phaechromocytoma | Phaechromocytoma |
Idiopathic bilateral adrenal hyperplasia
|
|
Non-functioning | Non- Functioning |
Metastases | Infection (TB) |
Adrenal carcinoma | Infiltration |
Ganglioneuroma | Haemorrhage |
Myelolipoma | Bilateral metastases |
Haematoma | |
Adrenolipoma | |
Adrenal adenoma |