Mesothelial cyst of the adrenal gland

A case of mesothelium-lined cyst of the adrenal gland is reported. Although more than 300 adrenal cysts have been reported in the literature, epithelial cell-lined cysts are rare and comprise only 9% of the cases. An adrenal cyst was found, the lining cells of which had features consistent with mesothelial cells. The inner surtace of the cyst was lined by a single layer of cuboidal cells, which showed alcian blue positive cellular outline. Immunohistochemically, the lining cells were positively stained for keratin, epithelial membrane antigen and CA-125. Electron microscopic examination revealed many long complex microvilli and desmosomes in the lining cells. There was a basal lamina beneath the cell layer. These morphological and immunohistochemical findings indicated that the lining cell is derived from mesothelium.     

Mesothelial cyst of the pancreas

Cystic lesions of the pancreas are increasingly identified because of advances in imaging techniques. The cystic lesions are of different types and are classified as neoplastic, nonneoplastic, and developmental types. Identification of the nature of these cystic lesions is very important because the course and treatment of disparate types of cysts are different. Here, we describe, for the first time, mesothelial cyst involving the pancreas in a 36-year-old man. Distal pancreatectomy showed a 3-cm unilocular cyst containing clear fluid. The cyst was lined by flat to cuboidal epithelium surrounded by fibrous tissue. The lining epithelial cells were positive for vimentin, thrombomodulin, cytokeratin 5/6, and calretinin, thus confirming the mesothelial nature of the cells.     

Retroperitoneal multilocular bronchogenic cyst adjacent to adrenal gland

Bronchogenic cysts are generally found in the mediastinum, particularly posterior to the carina, but they rarely occur in such unusual sites as the skin, subcutaneous tissue, pericardium, and even the retroperitoneum. A 30-year-old Korean man underwent surgery to remove a cystic adrenal mass incidentally discovered during routine physical checkup. At surgery, it proved to be a multilocular cyst located in the retroperitoneum adjacent to the left adrenal gland. Microscopically, the cyst was lined by respiratory epithelium over connective tissue with submucous glands, cartilage and smooth muscle, thereby histologically confirming bronchogenic cyst. This is the first reported case of retroperitoneal bronchogenic cyst in an adult without other congenital anomalies in Korea.     

Epithelial-lined (true) cyst of the adrenal gland: a case report

A case of an epithelial-lined (true) adrenal cyst is reported. Although over 300 adrenal cysts have been reported in the literature, true cysts are rare. In this case, a 4.0 cm cyst lined by cuboidal to flattened cells with bland cytologic features was incidentally found at autopsy. Immunologic studies performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections demonstrated that the cells expressed keratins (AE1/AE3+, CAM 5.2+, and MAK-6+) and were negative for epithelial membrane antigen, vimentin, factor VIII, and desmin. Normal adrenal cortical and medullary cells did not express keratins, suggesting that the cyst lining was not derived from either adrenal cortex or medulla. A mesothelial origin, with a pathogenesis analogous to the formation of primary cysts of the spleen, is proposed.     

Primary hydatid cyst of the adrenal gland: a case report and review of the literature

Hydatid cyst of adrenal gland is rare and usually incidentally found as a part of disseminated disease. Herein we report a rare case of primary adrenal hydatid cyst who presented with unusual symptom of arterial hypertension from an endemic country.     

Lipoma of the adrenal gland

A rare case of a lipoma of the adrenal gland is reported with a review of the literature. The tumor was incidentally found at autopsy in a 50-year-old man who died from severe head trauma after a traffic injury. At autopsy, an oval-shaped, soft yellow nodule measuring 1.1 cm in diameter was found in the right adrenal cortex. Histological examination revealed a lesion consisting of mature adipose tissue partially surrounded by a thin fibrous capsule. On serial sections there was no evidence of hematopoiesis nor of adrenal medulla cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the eighth case described in the English literature. With the increasing use and the high resolution of modern imaging techniques, these unsuspected adrenal masses may become more prevalent.     

Angiosarcoma of the adrenal gland

We report the first case of primary angiosarcoma of the adrenal gland, to our knowledge. A 54-year-old man presented with chronic left upper quadrant abdominal pain, and a left adrenal mass was subsequently found on computed tomography of the abdomen. The tumor was surgically removed and a diagnosis of adrenal angiosarcoma, supported by findings of immunoperoxidase and ultrastructural studies, was made. Seven months later, recurrent tumor resulted in an en bloc resection of lateral gastric wall, tail of pancreas, left kidney, and spleen. One year after the initial surgery, the patient was free of tumor. Angiosarcoma should be added to the list of possible primary adrenal gland malignancies.     

Malakoplakia of the adrenal gland.

The clinical and pathological features of a case of malakoplakia of the adrenal gland occurring in a woman with Escherichia coli infection are described. This lesion mimicked a neoplasm, the true diagnosis only being revealed by histological examination. The light and electron microscopic features are described and it is suggested that malakoplakia is due to an abnormal macrophage response to E coli infection.     

Pseudoglandular adenoma of the adrenal gland

Pseudoglandular adenoma of the adrenal is described in a 44-year-old female patient. Immunohistochemically tumor cells were positive to cytokeratins 8 and 18, vimentin, chromogranin A, Ki-67 (2-3%) and gave a negative reaction with cytokeratins 7, 10, 13, 17 and 20, synaptophysin, protein S-100, smooth-muscle actin alpha.     

Malignant PEComa of the adrenal gland

Perivascular epithelioid cell neoplasms, also known as PEComas, are unique mesenchymal tumors exhibiting perivascular epithelioid cell differentiation, characterized by a mixed myogenic and melanocytic phenotype. PEComas arising in visceral organs outside of the kidney, liver, and lung are rare, and often pose problems in diagnosis. Examples of this neoplasm originating in the adrenal gland are limited. The present report details the clinical and pathologic features of an unusual case of a pure epithelioid PEComa (epithelioid angiomyolipoma) of the adrenal gland exhibiting clinically malignant behavior in the form of pulmonary metastases, a feature not previously described in tumors of this site. The diagnosis was supported by immunohistochemical studies demonstrating expression of myoid and melanocytic antigens. The present case serves to emphasize the potential of PEComa for clinically aggressive behavior and the importance of distinguishing this tumor from other epithelioid neoplasms that are more commonly encountered in the adrenal gland.     

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the adrenal gland

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the adrenal gland was diagnosed in a 64-year-old woman. The histologic and immunohistologic features are characteristic of a large-cell noncleaved lymphoma (B-cell origin). The patient died 3 weeks after right-sided adrenalectomy. The patient's family refused an autopsy.     

Pleomorphic leiomyosarcoma of the adrenal gland

Primary leiomyosarcomas arising in the adrenal gland are exceedingly rare, with only 3 cases reported in the literature. We present the clinical, morphologic, and immunohistochemical features of a pleomorphic leiomyosarcoma, a variant of leiomyosarcoma that has not been described in the adrenal gland. A 63-year-old man presented with a 1-year history of enlarging right upper quadrant mass and pulmonary nodule. A diagnosis of metastatic pulmonary carcinoma to the adrenal gland was rendered on a needle biopsy specimen. Preoperative chemotherapy reduced only the pulmonary mass but not the adrenal mass, which continued to enlarge. Documented by computed tomography and confirmed at surgery, the tumor had completely replaced the right adrenal gland, invading into both the posterior aspect of the right liver and the superior pole of the right kidney. Histologic sections showed a diffuse proliferation of pleomorphic, large, and polygonal neoplastic cells with prominent nucleoli. Many bizarre mitotic figures were present. The neoplastic cells were strongly positive for desmin, calponin, and vimentin. Approximately 80% of the neoplastic cells were positive for the proliferation marker Ki-67. They were negative for smooth muscle actin, muscle-specific actin, myoglobin, myogenin, CD117, cytokeratins, carcinoembryonic antigen, epithelial membrane antigen, chromogranin, CD34, CD31, S100 protein, and HMB-45.     

Oncocytoma of the adrenal gland medulla

We report an unprecedented case of an oncocytoma of the adrenal gland medulla in a 61-year-old woman. The patient presented with right flank pain and hematuria. Computed tomographic studies revealed a right adrenal gland mass that measured 2 cm, which was subsequently excised laparoscopically. Grossly, the tumor in the medulla measured 1.9 × 1.2 cm, weighed 5 g, and had a solid tan-brown cut surface. Histologically, it consisted of large tumor cells containing eosinophilic granular cytoplasm arranged in trabecular and nodular patterns. Electron microscopy revealed closely packed mitochondria in the cytoplasm of almost all tumor cells. The tumor cells were immunohistochemically positive for vimentin. The patient resumed usual activities 2 weeks after surgery, and at 6-month follow-up, she is doing well.