Overview
Introduction
An adrenal incidentaloma is an adrenal mass found on imaging performed for an unrelated reason.
CNPLE
CNPLE
An adrenal incidentaloma is an adrenal mass found on imaging performed for an unrelated reason. A diagnostic workup is generally appropriate for a mass at least 1 cm, or for a smaller mass when symptoms suggest adrenal hormone excess. It is a finding, not a diagnosis. A lesion that appears benign may still secrete cortisol, while a hormonally silent lesion may still be malignant. The assessment keeps two questions moving in parallel: Does the mass produce hormones? and Could it be malignant? Dedicated adrenal imaging assesses structural risk; biochemical testing identifies clinically important hormone excess. The results determine whether the patient needs reassurance, follow-up, endocrine assessment, or urgent multidisciplinary adrenal-team review. Procedural safety comes before tissue sampling or surgery because manipulating an unrecognized pheochromocytoma can provoke dangerous catecholamine release.
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