title: Adrenal hemangioma: two cases report.
abstract: Adrenal hemangiomas are rare, nonfunctioning benign tumors. They are well circumscribed and comprise of closely adjacent vascular channels of varying sizes that are lined with a single layer of endothelium. When they occur, they are frequently located in the skin and liver. There are no characteristic symptoms of adrenal hemangioma unless the tumor reaches a size large enough to exert pressure. To our knowledge, there have been 14 clinical cases of adrenal hemangiomas reported, all with similar pathologic features. We present 2 additional cases, which were identified incidentally after non-urologic complaints (epigastric fullness and low back pain in patient 1 and patient 2, respectively). In these 2 patients, the tumors were surgically removed and diagnosed postoperatively as adrenal hemangiomas. Preoperative radiologic findings on plain film and abdominal computerized tomography showed the characteristic round calcifications with translucent centers, typical of phleboliths, to be pathognomonic of adrenal gland hemangiomas. Unfortunately, this characteristic feature of adrenal hemangioma existed in only one case report. In conclusion, the preoperative diagnosis of adrenal hemangioma is difficult but should be kept in mind as being part of the differential diagnosis of adrenal tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Tay
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans