Silent Adrenal Pheochromocytoma Coexistent with Corticomedullary Hyperplasia: A Case Incidentally Discovered.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Pheochromocytoma (PHEO) is a rare catecholamine-producing tumour arising from chromaffin cells in the sympatho-adrenal system, and can present as asymptomatic adrenal incidentaloma (AI).

PATIENT:

We describe the case of a 61-year-old woman with a right adrenal mass incidentally discovered, who was biochemically characterized with subclinical hypercortisolism (SH). The patient was scheduled for adrenalectomy because of increasing seizure of the right adrenal gland with a haemorrhagic and focal pseudocystic appearance macroscopically, incidental histological and immunohistochemical PHEO, and micronodular cortico-adrenal hyperplasia.

DISCUSSION:

This report describes a rare case of incidental non-functioning PHEO coexisting with corticomedullary hyperplasia and SH.

LEARNING POINTS:

Rare presentation of coexisting common (adrenal incidentaloma and subclinical Cushing's syndrome) and uncommon (pheochromocytoma) endocrinological conditions.

• Authors: Luigi Petramala, Antonio Concistrè, Federica Olmati, Vincenza Saraceno, Gino Iannucci, Antonio Ciardi, Giorgio De Toma, Claudio Letizia
• Journal: European journal of case reports in internal medicine (Eur J Case Rep Intern Med) Vol. 4 Issue 10 Pg. 000714 ( 2017) ISSN: 2284-2594 [Electronic] Italy
• PMID: 30755911 (Publication Type: Journal Article)