title: Retroperitoneal masses mimicking adrenal tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report 10 cases of neoplasms that were initially thought to be primarily adrenal-derived masses but were later confirmed as tumors of a different origin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2000 and 2011, a total of 229 patients underwent adrenalectomy at our institution. Of this overall group, 10 patients had retroperitoneal pathologic conditions mimicking adrenal tumors. Using an institutional review board-approved database, we reviewed the clinical, biochemical, and radiologic characteristics of these 10 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study cohort consisted of 4 male and 6 female patients. The mean age of these 10 patients was 48 years. The pathologic conditions included schwannoma (n = 3), leiomyosarcoma (n = 2), and 1 each of metastatic angiosarcoma, metastatic granulosa cell tumor, retroperitoneal hematoma, perivascular epithelioid cell tumor, and bronchogenic cyst. The patient with angiosarcoma had elevated plasma and urine catecholamines and a positive metaiodobenzylguanidine scan, whereas the others had normal findings on biochemical work-up. A percutaneous biopsy was performed preoperatively in 2 patients. All patients, except the patient with hematoma, underwent abdominal exploration, which was laparoscopic in 5, open in 2, and robotic in 2. With exclusion of the patients with angiosarcoma and hematoma, resection was possible in all the remaining patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this report we describe our experience with retroperitoneal masses mimicking adrenal tumors. Increased awareness of these unusual pathologic conditions is important for appropriate clinical management of these tumors. The presentation of the patients and the surgical management of these individual pathologic entities are highlighted.
authors: Division of Endocrine Surgery, Endocrinology and Metabolism Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors: Ziyad
authors: Z
authors: Alguraan
authors: Orhan
authors: O
authors: Agcaoglu
authors: Kevin
authors: K
authors: El-Hayek
authors: Amir H
authors: AH
authors: Hamrahian
authors: Allan
authors: A
authors: Siperstein
authors: Eren
authors: E
authors: Berber
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D055815:Young Adult