The elevated serum alkaline phosphatase--the chase that led to two endocrinopathies and one possible unifying diagnosis. (1/34)

A 39-year-old Chinese man with hypertension being evaluated for elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP) levels was found to have an incidental right adrenal mass. The radiological features were characteristic of a large adrenal myelolipoma. This mass was resected and the diagnosis confirmed pathologically. His blood pressure normalised after removal of the myelolipoma, suggesting that the frequently observed association between myelolipomas and hypertension may not be entirely coincidental. Persistent elevation of the SAP levels and the discovery of hypercalcaemia after surgery led to further investigations which confirmed primary hyperparathyroidism due to a parathyroid adenoma. The patient's serum biochemistry normalised after removal of the adenoma. The association of adrenal myelolipoma with primary hyperparathyroidism has been reported in the literature only once previously. Although unconfirmed by genetic studies this association may possibly represent an unusual variation of the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 syndrome.  (+info)

Giant adrenal myelolipoma. (2/34)

Authors present a case of giant adrenal myelolipoma, where the tumor was hormonally inactive but caused abdominal and flank pain. The huge tumor, a 20x18x10 cm mass, was surgically removed. The ipsilateral kidney was preserved.  (+info)

Adrenal lipomatous tumours: a 30 year clinicopathological experience at a single institution. (3/34)

AIMS: Fatty tumours of the adrenal gland are uncommon and their features have received little attention in the literature. The aim of this study is to analyse the features of adrenal lipomatous tumours. METHODS: The histological features of primary adrenal tumours reported over a 30 year period (1970 to 1999) in Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong were reviewed and the clinicopathological features of adrenal lipomatous tumours were analysed. RESULTS: Adrenal lipomatous tumours were noted in 20 patients (12 men, eight women), and they accounted for 4.8% of the primary adrenal tumours reported. The adrenal fatty tumours comprised 11 myelolipomas, three lipomas, three teratomas, two angiomyolipomas, and one liposarcoma. Calcification or bone was noted in one third (seven of 20) of the adrenal tumours. In some fatty tumours (myelolipoma and angiomyolipoma), the fatty component may be inconspicuous. This is the first report in the English literature of angiomyolipoma and liposarcoma of the adrenal gland. CONCLUSIONS: Different types of fatty tumours were noted in the adrenal gland. A high index of suspicion should be maintained with an aim of surgical treatment for selected patients with large and symptomatic adrenal lipomatous lesions. Histological confirmation is needed for diagnosis.  (+info)

17alpha-hydroxylase deficiency accompanied by adrenal myelolipoma. (4/34)

A 45-year-old woman was admitted because of hypertension and hypokalemia. Primary amenorrhea from birth was noted. Plasma renin activity (PRA), 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone and androgen levels were low, but progesterone, 11-deoxycorticosterone, corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were elevated, resulting in a diagnosis of 17alpha-hydroxylase deficiency. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging revealed a round mass in the left adrenal region, the specimen of which was diagnosed as myelolipoma. After removal of the tumor, the blood pressure, serum potassium and hormone levels were unchanged, indicating an adrenal non-functioning tumor. Excessive ACTH secretion over a long period may stimulate the development of adrenal myelolipoma.  (+info)

Adrenal myelolipoma in a dog. (5/34)

Abdominal ultrasound examination in an 11-year-old, intact, female Labrador dog with hepatic disease revealed a nodular swelling of the left adrenal gland. Hyperadrenocorticism was suspected, but endocrine tests were negative. At the owner's request, an adrenalectomy was performed. Grossly, a nodular mass protruded from the external surface of the left adrenal gland and in cut section was hemorrhagic and effaced the cortical and medullary regions. Histologic examination revealed a cortical neoplasm with medullary involvement. The mass was composed of well-differentiated adipose cells, megakaryocytes, hematopoietic cells, and macrophages containing hemosiderin deposits. A diagnosis of cortical adrenal myelolipoma was made.  (+info)

Unusual presentation of splenic myelolipoma in a dog. (6/34)

A 13-year-old dog was presented with clinical signs of anemia, vomiting, weight loss, and progressive abdominal distension. Abdominal ultrasonography and radiography revealed a large mass, which was removed surgically. Cytologic and histologic evaluation of the mass revealed a mixture of fat and hematopoietic tissue, consistent with a splenic myelolipoma.  (+info)

Benign extramedullary myeloid proliferations. (7/34)

Extramedullary proliferations of bone marrow elements are infrequently encountered in routine pathology practice. On occasion, they can present diagnostic difficulties when seen in unusual or unanticipated sites. This review serves to cover aspects of underlying embryogenesis of myeloid elements, as well as sites and circumstance of benign proliferations of myeloid elements along with their occasional confusion with neoplastic myeloid proliferations. Benign proliferations associated with hematologic disorders and hematopoietic growth factors are discussed. Immunohistochemical evaluation of myeloid proliferations is considered as well.  (+info)

Myelolipoma within a non-functional adrenal cortical adenoma. (8/34)

Myelolipoma within an adrenal cortical adenoma is a very rare cause of adrenal incidentaloma, and only nine cases have been reported in the English and Japanese literature. We report a 66-year-old Chinese man, with a history of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia, who presented with lower limb oedema and had a computed tomography (CT ) of the abdomen done to exclude intra-abdominal mass. His lower limb symptoms resolved after switching his antihypertensive medication. CT of the abdomen showed a large heterogeneously-enhancing mass in the left suprarenal region, measuring 72 mm by 55 mm. Clinical history, physical examination and laboratory results did not show any evidence to suggest metabolic disorder such as Cushing's syndrome, hyperaldosteronism or catecholamine hypersecretion. The patient underwent a left adrenalectomy, and a histopathological study confirmed the mass to be a non-functional adrenal cortical adenoma containing myelolipoma. The patient was well postoperatively and was discharged uneventfully. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first non-functional adrenal cortical adenoma reported; in the nine cases of myelolipoma within an adrenal cortical adenoma reported previously, all the patients had Cushing's syndrome. The literature on synchronous myelolipoma with adrenal adenoma, and myelolipoma within functional adrenal adenoma, is reviewed.  (+info)