State of the art management of adrenal masses--"how to do it?"
Meyer, A.; Behrend, M.
European Journal of Medical Research 11(9): 397-404
2006
ISSN/ISBN: 0949-2321 PMID: 17101464 Document Number: 598076
By the frequent use of computed tomography or ultrasound the detection of incidentally found adrenal tumours has become a common problem. This is also reflected in the worldwide proliferation of literature over the past decades. Most incidentally-found adrenal tumours are benign non-functioning cortical adenomas. But benign functioning tumours producing aldosterone, cortisol or catecholamines, adrenocortical carcinoma or adrenal gland metastasis can also be found. Surgical therapy is always indicated in case of hormonal overproduction or in case of suspected adrenocortical carcinoma; in all other cases the correct and adequate therapeutic approach is still under debate and a controversial topic of discussion. This review deals with the different forms of adrenal tumours regarding the optimal diagnostic and therapeutic approach to give physicians an easy-to-follow guideline.