title: [The value of fine needle puncture in adrenal gland tumors].
abstract: The value of fine needle biopsy (FNB) in adrenal masses was investigated in 33 patients presenting with such masses. Representative material was obtained 18 times from 19 patients with a history of tumour. 4 of them were diagnosed to be genuinely benign and 14 to be genuinely malignant. Further representative material was obtained 13 times from 14 patients with incidental findings of adrenal masses. The material gained by puncturing was classified correctly as benign in 9 cases, and twice it was considered benign although the tumours later proved malignant. In one case a clinically not suspected malignant lesion was detected by FNB, while in another case a malignant lesion was suspected by FNB, whereas a benign tumour was proven by means of surgery. The share of malignant diagnoses corresponded with the size of tumour, ascertained by the application of ultrasound or CT. The rate of malignant adrenal masses, which were found incidentally, increased from 7 cm onwards; however, the rate of malignant adrenal masses obtained from patients with a history of tumour increased distinctively already from 4 cm onwards. From 11 patients out of 33, adrenal tissue was obtained and classified as benign lesion (adenoma), although, by means of FNB and the conditions for reasons of method, a well differentiated carcinoma cannot be excluded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FNB is indicated for non-functioning tumours examined in patients with a history of tumour, furthermore, for incidental findings of the size between 4-6 cm. A diagnostic approach to adrenal masses is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Innere klinik Karl-Olga Krankenhaus Stuttgart.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fröhlich
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rufle
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Strunk
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stuckmann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Seeliger
mesh_terms: D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D018246:Adrenocortical Adenoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation*
vernacular_title: Stellenwert der Feinnadelpunktion bei Nebennierentumoren.