Objective: To investigate the prevalence, etiology and clinical characteristics of adrenal lesions detected by abdominal computed tomography (CT).
Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in patients with adrenal lesions detected by abdominal CT examinations in Nanfang Hospital between July, 2014 and June, 2015. The clinical data of the patients were collected for analysis of the demographics, comorbidities, imaging characteristics, biochemical profiles, clinical diagnosis and intervention.
Results: A total of 939 patients with adrenal lesions were identified from 19 004 patients undergoing abdominal CT scan over the defined period. The mean age of the patients was 53.2 years and 560 of the patients were male. Among the total cases with adrenal lesions, the percentages of cases with adrenal masses tended to increase progressively with age. Endocrine studies were done in 270 of the total patients, which identified non-functioning masses in 38.9%, primary aldosteronism in 16.3%, Cushing's syndrome in 4.1%, subclinical Cushing's syndrome in 7.0%, and pheochromocytomas in 7.0% of the cases. Adrenal incidentalomas was detected in 191 patients, with a detection rate of 1.0% among the overall patients undergoing abdominal CT scans. Imaging study detected adenomas (70.3%), cortical carcinomas (2.4%), and metastases (0.5%). Of 191 patients with adrenal incidentalomas, only 76 (39.8%) underwent endocrine evaluation, including 34 with nonfunctioning adrenal masses, 17 with pheochromocytoma, 7 with primary aldosteronism, and 5 with subclinical Cushing's syndrome.
Conclusion: s The overall detection rates of adrenal lesions and adrenal incidentalomas by abdominal CT were 4.9% and 1.0%, respectively, in our cohort of patients undergoing the examination over the defined period. Although most of the lesions were benign and nonfunctioning, malignant and functional lesions were also detected. As many as 60% of the patients with adrenal incidentalomas did not have hormonal testing. Clinicians need to have greater awareness of adrenal incidentalomas and standard protocol for its management should be established.
目的: 探讨腹部CT检查发现的肾上腺病变的检出率、病因构成、临床特点及诊治现状。
方法: 回顾性分析2014年7月~2015年6月于南方医科大学南方医院影像中心行腹部CT检查报告提示肾上腺有异常改变的门诊和住院患者的病历资料，包括患者性别、年龄、影像特征、生化检验、临床诊断、治疗方式、术后病理、发现病变的原因等。
结果: （1）本院1年内行腹部CT检查的患者共19 004例，检查提示存在肾上腺病变的患者共939例，检出率为4.9%。其中男性560例（59.6%），女性379例（40.4%），平均就诊年龄为53.2岁。肾上腺占位在总体肾上腺病变中所占比例随年龄递增呈有上升趋势。行内分泌功能评估的患者有270例（28.8%），无功能性病变占38.9%，功能性病变中原发性醛固酮增多症比例最高，占16.3%；库欣综合征和亚临床库欣综合征各占4.1%和7.0%；嗜铬细胞瘤占7.0%。（2）共发现肾上腺意外瘤191例，检出率为1.0%，其中良性腺瘤占70.3%，肾上腺皮质癌和肾上腺转移癌的比例分别为2.4%和0.5%。只有76例（39.8%）患者进行了内分泌功能评估，其中无功能瘤34例，占44.7%；功能性病变以嗜铬细胞瘤最常见，占22.4%，而原发性醛固酮增多症和亚临床库欣综合征各占9.2%和6.6%。
结论: 我院所有腹部CT检查中肾上腺病变的检出率达4.9%，肾上腺意外瘤的检出率1.0%。虽然大多数肾上腺病变为良性无功能病变，但仍有部分具有内分泌功能或为恶性病变。临床上约有60%的肾上腺意外瘤患者未进行内分泌功能的评估，功能亢进的病变极易被漏诊。临床医生需要进一步提高对肾上腺意外瘤的认识并规范其诊疗流程