title: [Incidentally discovered adrenal masses in the Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Hemostatic Disorders, Medical University of Gdansk].
abstract: Clinically silent adrenal masses (incidentaloma) are incidentally discovered lesions when noninvasive imaging methods (ultrasonography--USG, computer tomography--CT, magnetic resonance imaging--MRI) are performed for the reason other than known or suspected adrenal disease. Most of studies report the prevalence of adrenal incidentaloma range between 1 and 10% in radiological series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1993 and 03.2004 we observed 198 patients with incidentalomas of adrenal glands (144 females--72.7% and 54 males--27.3%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After endocrinological evaluation, 164 patients were qualified for surgery. In 119 (72.5%) cases open adrenalectomy was performed, and in 45 (27.5%) laparoscopic adrenalectomy was done. Adrenocortical adenoma was diagnosed in 54.9%, adrenal hyperplasia in 8.5%, adrenal carcinoma in 6.7%, pheochromocytoma in 12.9% (in 3.1% of all cases malignant pheochromocytoma was diagnosed), in 4.9% others malignant tumors (primary or metastatic), in 4.9% adrenal cysts and in 7.1% other rare adrenal pathologies were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All malignancies were found in tumors with the diameter over 3 cm. In tumors with diameter over 6 cm malignant cases were found in 70.8%.
authors.affiliation: Kliniki Chorób Wewnetrznych, Endokrynologii i Zaburzeń Hemostazy, Akademii Medycznej w Gdańsku. a.mail@wp.pl
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Babińska
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sworczak
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Siekierska-Hellmann
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lewczuk
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Błaut
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Obołoiczyk
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wiśniewski
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zielonko
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kaska
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lachiński
mesh_terms: D000307:Adrenal Gland Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D018268:Adrenocortical Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome