Endocrine Abstracts

Adrenal incidentaloma is adrenal tumor incidentally discovered in the region of adrenals, usually investigating for non-endocrine disease.We attempted to find out the current situation of adrenal incidentaloma in Lithuania.

The object of research – patients who visited the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas Clinic's Clinic of Endocrinology and Vilnius Endocrinology Center for suspected adrenal pathology in 2007–2011. The total number of the cases in Kaunas was 1195. A retrospective study of 104 cases, applying a non-repayable simple random sampling was completed.

Analysis of the case histories showed that the most part of the patient, for the consultation of third level endocrinologist, were diverted by various specialists from Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas Clinics in suspicion of adrenal incidentaloma accidentally detected during computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging study. The other part of the patients were refered by family physicians of uncontrolled hypertension, heart disease, or suspicion of pheochromocytoma. The most common reason for consultation at the first visit in 2007 were pheochromocytoma (44%) and incidentaloma (40%), less frequently the primary diagnosis was named hyperaldosteronism (15%), and Cushing’s disease (in 1% of all cases). Comparing data of 2007 and 2011, the situation has not changed. Pheochromocytoma as a primary diagnosis was indicated in 44% and incidentaloma in 42% of cases in 2011. A detailed examination of the patients showed a different distribution of the diseases. At Kaunas, out of 104 cases, 36 cases of incidentaloma, two cases of pheochomocytoma, two – aldosteroma, and six – drenal tumour associated with thyroid nodule. At Vilnius 13% had aldosteroma, 8% pheochromocytoma, and 12% adrenal hyperplasia.

From 2007 to 2011 cases of adrenal tumours increased twice. In Lithuania incidence of adrenal incidentaloma depends on the availability of visual research methods and adrenal biochemical markers. Prospective study of adrenal incidentaloma at the national level is discussed.