Angiographic-CT-FDG-Pathologic Correlations of the Incidentally Discovered Adrenal Mass

J Clin Imaging Sci. 2011:1:42. doi: 10.4103/2156-7514.83928. Epub 2011 Aug 17.

Abstract

During abdominal ultrasonography of a 37-year-old man a 3.2 cm hypoechoic mass in the right hepatic lobe was found incidentally. This prompted an abdominal CT, an FDG PET/CT, and an angiography to evaluate the nature of the mass. Laboratory data showed positive anti-HBs/anti-HBe, and negative HCV antibody. The alfa-fetoprotein and liver function tests were within normal limits. Contrast-enhanced CT found an enhanced hepatic tumor and primary hepatocellular carcinoma was suspected. PET/CT revealed no abnormal FDG accumulation in the right hepatic mass. The digital subtraction angiographies of the right inferior phrenic artery and right renal artery revealed a hypervascular tumor in the right adrenal gland. Therefore, a diagnosis of a right adrenal tumor was made. Serum aldosterone, serum cortisol, and urine vanillylmandelic acid, and catecholamine were all within normal limits. Laparoscopic right adrenalectomy was performed and adrenal cortical adenoma was diagnosed on a histological study.

Keywords: Adrenal cortical adenoma; FDG PET/CT; angiography; primary hepatocellular carcinoma.