Clinical course and imaging characteristics of benign adrenal cysts: a single-center study of 92 patients

True mesothelial cyst of the adrenal gland: its clinical profile and management

The incidence of adrenal cysts is 0.06% and only 9% of these are true mesothelial cysts. Here, we present a case of a true mesothelial cyst together with a review of the literature. A female in her 30s presented to the surgical outpatient department complaining of right flank pain. Her contrast-enhanced CT scan revealed a 7.5×6.5×4.5 cm right adrenal gland cyst. The patient underwent a laparoscopic right adrenalectomy. Immunohistopathology revealed the cyst to be mesothelial in nature. The majority of true mesothelial adrenal cysts are benign, unilateral and more common in women. Any adrenal cyst diagnosed as a functional lesion or one that may be malignant or with a diameter of 5 cm or greater requires surgical care whereas smaller lesions can be managed conservatively. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for an adrenal cyst of diameter greater than 6 cm is a safe and feasible procedure in expert hands if there is no invasion of surrounding tissue.

Adrenal Cysts: To Operate or Not to Operate?

Adrenal cysts are uncommon and usually asymptomatic, and therefore are usually incidentally discovered adrenal lesions. They have a broad pathohistological spectrum that includes pseudocysts and endothelial (vascular), parasitic, and epithelial (mesothelial) cysts. Although most adrenal cysts are benign and hormonally non-functional lesions, some can have ambiguous imaging appearances and mimic malignant adrenal neoplasms. On the other hand, the actual malignant neoplasms could undergo cystic transformation. Additionally, immune cell infiltrations, thrombosis, or haemorrhage seen in sepsis can frequently cause adrenal cyst development, raising a question about the possible connection between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and adrenal cystic lesions. Due to the disease's rarity, the likelihood of malignancy, and the lack of specific guidelines, the management of adrenal cysts is always challenging especially in a young person. This review discusses the important diagnostic and the current treatment possibilities for adrenal cystic lesions. Aiming to emphasize clinical dilemmas and help clinicians navigate the challenges when encountering a patient with an adrenal cyst in everyday practice, we based our review on a practical question-answer framework centred around the case of a young woman with an incidentally discovered large adrenal cyst.

Etiology, morphology, and outcomes of adrenal calcifications in 540 adult patients-a retrospective single-center study

Sparse data are available on the etiology, morphology, clinical presentation, and outcomes of adrenal calcification. In this single-center retrospective study of 540 consecutive patients (median age 65 years, 45% women) with adrenal calcification on computed tomography (December 2017 to January 2021), most were discovered incidentally (472, 87%). The commonest etiology was idiopathic (389, 72%), followed by the adrenal tumor (113, 21%), hemorrhage (29, 5%), and infiltrative disease (7, 1%). Calcified adrenal tumors were predominantly benign (92, 81%) and primarily adenomas (63, 69%), whereas the most common calcified adrenal malignancy (16, 18%) was metastasis (12, 67%). Calcification (unilateral 94%, bilateral 6%) morphology varied from punctate (313, 58%) to coarse (165, 30%), linear/curvilinear (46, 9%), and rim-like (16, 3%). In summary, adrenal calcifications are usually incidentally discovered unilateral, punctate, or coarse lesions of unclear etiology. Most calcified adrenal tumors are benign and <20% malignant or pheochromocytomas.

Adrenal cysts: an emerging condition

Adrenal cysts are rare lesions representing approximately 1-2% of adrenal incidentalomas. The majority of these rare lesions are benign. Rarely, phaeochromocytomas and adrenal malignant masses can present as cystic lesions and can occasionally be difficult to distinguish from benign cysts. Histologically, adrenal cysts are subdivided into pseudocysts, endothelial cysts, epithelial cysts and parasitic cysts. The radiological appearance of an adrenal cyst is generally similar to that of cysts in the kidney. They are thus well demarcated, usually rounded, with a thin wall and homogenous internal structure, low attenuating (<20 Hounsfield Units) on CT, low signalling on T1-weighted MRI sequences and high signalling on T2-weighted MRI sequences, and anechoic or hypoechoic on ultrasonography. Benign adrenal cysts have a slight female predominance and are usually diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 60. Most adrenal cysts are asymptomatic and are detected incidentally, although very large adrenal cysts can lead to mass effect symptoms, with surgery required to alleviate the symptoms. Thus, conservative management is usually recommended for asymptomatic cysts. However, when uncertainty exists regarding the benign nature of the cyst, additional work-up or follow-up is needed. The management of an adrenal cyst should preferably be discussed at an adrenal multidisciplinary team meeting.

Giant Adrenal Cyst: A Case Report

Giant adrenal cysts are rare lesions, most often discovered incidentally. In this case report, a patient presenting with nonspecific abdominal distension is described. Imaging studies revealed a vast cystic mass closely attached to the left adrenal gland. Neither routine laboratory tests nor endocrine function tests revealed abnormalities. By performing open surgery, the cystic mass was completely removed. According to the pathological results, the wall of the cystic mass has an endothelial structure and some vascular components. Comprehensive analysis indicated that this case was an angiomatous adrenal endothelial cyst which was an extremely uncommon form of an adrenal cyst. Over a one-year follow-up, no evidence of recurrence was observed in the patient postoperatively. Through this case, we wish to raise awareness of this disease.

Adrenal Lesions: A Review of Imaging

Adrenal lesions are frequently incidentally diagnosed during investigations for other clinical conditions. Despite being usually benign, nonfunctioning, and silent, they can occasionally cause discomfort or be responsible for various clinical conditions due to hormonal dysregulation; therefore, their characterization is of paramount importance for establishing the best therapeutic strategy. Imaging techniques such as ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance, and PET-TC, providing anatomical and functional information, play a central role in the diagnostic workup, allowing clinicians and surgeons to choose the optimal lesion management. This review aims at providing an overview of the most encountered adrenal lesions, both benign and malignant, including describing their imaging characteristics.