A Case of an Asymptomatic Adrenal Myelolipoma

무증상의 부신 골수 지방종 1예

  • Lee, Hyung-Soon (Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Choi, Sae-Byeol (Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Kyung-Sik (Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine)
  • 이형순 (연세대학교 의과대학 외과학교실) ;
  • 최새별 (연세대학교 의과대학 외과학교실) ;
  • 김경식 (연세대학교 의과대학 외과학교실)
  • Published : 2008.12.30

Abstract

Adrenal myelolipoma is a rare benign, non-functioning tumor that is frequently discovered incidentally. We report here on a case of a 47-year-old woman with an incidentally found adrenal tumor. She was slightly obese and had been diagnosed with diabetes. Her blood sugar level was well-controlled with oral hypoglycemic agents. All the laboratory test results were within normal limits. The abdomen CT scan revealed a well-demarcated homogenous solid mass that was 9cm in diameter, and it consisted of fat tissues. The differential diagnosis for malignant tumors was necessary, so we performed complete surgical excision. The patient recovered well without any major complications. If the diagnosis of adrenal myelolipoma is definite, then regular follow-up of this type of patient is sufficient. However, as the differential diagnosis with malignant tumors is rather difficult and as spontaneous hemorrhage can persist in the giant myelolipomas that are greater than 10cm in diameter, performing complete surgical excision is inevitable.

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