A RESECTED CASE OF NON-FUNCTIONAL ADRENOCORTICAL ADENOMA

Aresected case of non-functional adrenocortical adenoma that was accidentally discovered during ultrasound examinaiton of the abdomen is reported. The case is a 41-year-old female who underwent a thorough medical examination at a local hospital owing to hypochondralgia and symptoms of cold, and a right adrenal tumor was accidentally discovered by ultrasanography, . She had non-hormonal clinical symptoms and normal serum and urine endocrinologic findings. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed a tumor with low density from anterior, posterior and lower segment of the right hepatic lobe extending to the right upper pole of the kidney, and angiography of the right suprarenal artery displayed a hyper-vascular tumor of the adrenal gland. The resected tumor was covered with capsule showing elastic soft, even solid yellow tone, measuring 9.2×9.0×7.4cm in size, weighing 325g and was diagnosed histologically as benign adrenocortical adenoma. Recent widespread use of ultrasonography or CT has increased an opportunity to detect an adrenal tumor, but only a total of 45 cases of non-functional adenocortical adenoma has been reported. Preoperative differential diagnosis of this disease from non-functional adrenocortical carcinoma is sometimes difficult. Therefore, particularly in small tumors, operative indication must be carefally considered.