A Case of Giant Adrenal Adenoma Presenting Primary Aldosteronism / 대한내분비학회지

ABSTRACT

Primary aldosteronism is a syndrome chracterized by hypokalemic alkalosis and hypertension. Small sized adrenal cortical adenomas have been the major cause of this syndrome in most of the patients. However, if the adrenal mass is larger than 6cm in diameter and with irregular consistency, malignancy is more favored. We experienced a patient who had a giant adrenal adenoma with primary aldosteronism. A 24-year-old female presented with hypertension, hypokalemia, low plasma renin, and high plasrna aldosterone levels, was found to have a 6×5.5×5 cm sized left adrenal tumor by MRI. Her clinical laboratory feature did not revealed any evidence of Cushing's syndrome or pheochromocytoma. Preoperatively adrenal carcinoma presenting pure adrenal aldosteronism was suspected due to large size and heterogenous signal character of the adrenal mass in radiologic study. At operation well encapsulated, round giant adrenal tumor weighing 65gm(4.5×4×4 cm) was removed. There was no evidence of metastasis with return of adrenal function to normal after surgery. Benign adrenal adenoma was confirmed by the gross morphology and the histologic features.