Thermal ablation in adrenal disorders: a discussion of the technology, the clinical evidence and the future.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarise the emerging role of thermal ablation as a therapeutic modality in the management of functioning adrenal tumours and metastases to the adrenal gland. RECENT FINDINGS: Observational evidence has demonstrated the benefit of thermal ablation in (i) resolving adrenal endocrinopathy arising from benign adenomas, (ii) treating solitary metastases to the adrenal and (iii) controlling metastatic adrenocortical carcinoma and phaeochromocytoma/paraganglioma. SUMMARY: Microwave thermal ablation offers a promising, minimally invasive therapeutic modality for the management of functioning adrenocortical adenomas and adrenal metastases. Appropriate technological design, treatment planning and choice of imaging modality are necessary to overcome technical challenges associated with this emerging therapeutic approach.

Two cases of neonatal adrenal hemorrhage presenting with persistent jaundice.

The adrenal hemorrhage is a relatively rare event in newborns but must be considered in the presence of a persistent unexplained jaundice, especially in presence of predisposing factors. Serial ultrasonography is the modality of choice for initial diagnosis and follow-up of neonatal adrenal hemorrhage. We report two cases of neonatal adrenal hemorrhage presenting with persistent jaundice. The causes of the neonatal adrenal hemorrhages were a difficult vaginal delivery in macrosomic infant and a neonatal infection.

Hemorragia suprarrenal neonatal. Consideraciones diagnósticas y de actitud clínica / Neonatal adrenal hemorrhage. Diagnostic considerations and clinical attitude

Se presenta una serie de 3 casos diagnosticados en nuestro Servicio de hemorragia suprarrenal unilateral. En dos de los casos el diagnóstico es en período neonatal y en el tercer caso se sospecha de forma retrospectiva, por encontrar en una radiografía abdominal calcificaciones suprarrenales. En los dos recién nacidos, la causa de ingreso es ictericia, acompañada en uno de ellos de masa abdominal. Los dos casos son varones sin antecedentes familiares de interés, procedentes de una primera gestación a término y sin incidencias. Parto prolongado en ambos, siendo instrumental en el primero. El período neonatal inmediato, somatometría y exploraciones complementarias al ingreso son normales. En ambos niños se realiza ecografía abdominal en la que se detecta masa suprarrenal con áreas anecoicas, compatible con hemorragia suprarrenal derecha. En ambos casos se mantiene una actitud expectante, con observación clínica estricta y centrada en la aparición de signos de insuficiencia suprarrenal (hipotensión, hipoglucemia, hipercaliemia, hiponatremia, acidosis, convulsiones, coma), hemorragia masiva o signos de indicación quirúrgica. La determinación de hormonas adrenales y el ionograma en suero y orina son normales. Los dos niños permanecen asintomáticos, no precisando otro tratamiento que fototerapia. Se realizan controles ecográficos seriados, que constituyen la base de la confirmación del diagnóstico y del diagnóstico diferencial con otras entidades como el neuroblastoma quístico, quiste cortical o absceso adrenal. Hemos querido añadir un tercer caso de diagnóstico retrospectivo probable. Es un varón de 8 años con calcificaciones suprarrenales derechas de hallazgo casual, sugerentes de antigua hemorragia suprarrenal, que presentó en período neonatal ingreso por ictericia sin sospecha de hemorragia suprarrenal. Los tres casos clínicos nos permiten revisar una entidad relativamente frecuente en el recién nacido, que cursa habitualmente de forma unilateral y asintomática, si bien en ocasiones puede producir un importante compromiso clínico con insuficiencia suprarrenal aguda, hemorragia masiva o muerte neonatal, obligando a un tratamiento precoz y enérgico (AU)

Three cases diagnosed at our Service of unilateral adrenal hemorrhage are presented. The diagnosis was at neonatal period in two cases and the third case should be suspected later by abdominal radiography revealed an adrenal calcifications. The first and second newborn was admitted to hospital by jaundice and the abdominal examination revealed a palpable mass in the first. Both cases are men. Families’ histories were no pertinent; they have been born at term after a normal pregnancy. The childbirth course was complicated by prolonged labor; it was Instrumental childbirth in the first. The neonatal period, anthropometric and laboratory studies were normal. In both children abdominal ultrasound revealed adrenal mass with anechoic areas, it is suggesting adrenal hemorrhage. In both cases was conservative man-agement, and clinical observation in the appearance of signs of adrenal insufficiency (hypotension, hypoglycemia, hyperkaliema, hyponatremia, acidose, convulsions, and comma), massive hemorrhage or signs of surgical indication. The hormonal determination, levels electrolytes blond and urine were normal. Both young they remain asymptomatic, treatment was phototherapy and serial ultrasounds. Follow up ultrasound is needed for diagnosis and differential diagnosis with neuroblastoma, cortical cyst or adrenal abscess. A third case the diagnosis was made later incidentally, suggestive adrenal calcifications of old adrenal hemorrhage. He was 8 years old boy. He was admitted to hospital by jaundice at newborn period. The three clinical cases allow to review an usually common disorder in the newborn period, that attends habitually an asyntomatic form; however sometimes it can produce an important clinical commitment with acute adrenal insufficiency, Massive adrenal hemorrhage or neonative death, forcing a precocious and energetic treatment (AU)

Management of severe hyperbilirubinemia in the newborn: adrenal hematoma revisited.

A 4-day-old male infant presented with complaints of jaundice on the third day of life. He was full-term and appropriate for gestational age and born to unrelated parents. All laboratory investigation tests were normal except total serum bilirubin of 27.4 mg/dl with a direct bilirubin 0.29 mg/dl. Abdominal and cranial ultrasonography (US) was performed on sixth day of life because of severe hyperbilirubinemia. Abdominal US revealed adrenal hematoma. Enclosed hematomas may cause significant unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in absence of other high-risk conditions.

The endocrinology of adrenal tuberculosis: the effects of tuberculosis on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis and adrenocortical function.

Tuberculosis may affect many of the endocrine glands including the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid and adrenals. The most commonly involved endocrine organ in tuberculosis is the adrenal gland. Adrenal glands may be directly or indirectly affected by tuberculosis. Tuberculous Addison's disease is still an important cause of primary adrenocortical insufficiency particularly in the developing countries. Recent improvements in imaging techniques and modern endocrinological tests for the investigation of adrenal function have given us greater insight into the endocrinology of adrenal tuberculosis. Hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is also involved in tuberculosis and recent findings revealed that HPA axis is activated rather than underactivated in active pulmonary tuberculosis. Activated HPA axis in tuberculosis causes increased cortisol secretion which results in a shift in the Th1/Th2 balance towards Th2. T cell dysfunction due to high cortisol and low DHEAS levels may be responsible for immunologically-mediated tissue damage in tuberculosis. In this review, recent findings concerning the adrenocortical function, radiological changes in adrenal glands and HPA axis involvement in tuberculosis are discussed.

Adrenal cortical and medullary imaging.

Adrenal disease can be manifested by endocrine dysfunction or anatomic abnormalities detected by cross-sectional imaging modalities. With the advent of newer and more reliable in vitro assays and a better understanding of the spectrum of adrenal pathology, the physician can now adopt a more accurate and cost-effective approach to the diagnosis of adrenal disease. Both functional and anatomic imaging modalities can play an important role in the evaluation of the incidental adrenal mass, the early detection of adrenal metastases, differentiation of the various causes of Cushings's syndrome, selection of patients for potentially curative surgery in primary aldosteronism and adrenal hyperandrogenism, and localization of pheochromocytomas and neuroblastomas. The usefulness of the adrenal cortical radiopharmaceutical, 131I-6-beta-iodomethylnorcholesterol (NP-59), and the adrenal medullary radiopharmaceuticals, 131I and 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG), is detailed for these various clinical settings and the role of NP-59 and MIBG is contrasted to that of the cross-sectional modalities, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Incidental adrenal masses are common, but malignancies are few. Imaging studies select those patients who require a further evaluation by biopsy examination or adrenalectomy. In the hyperfunctioning endocrine states, such as Cushing's syndrome, primary aldosteronism, adrenal androgenism, and pheochromocytoma, correlation of biochemical findings with both functional and anatomic imaging is necessary to avoid inappropriate and ineffective surgical intervention, yet not miss an opportunity for curative resection. Lastly, MIBG and MRI are complementary in the detection and staging of neuroblastoma.

Selenium-75-19-selenocholesterol-a new adrenal scanning agent with high concentration in the adrenal medulla.

A tissue distribution study with 75Se-19-selenocholesterol in rats, rabbits, and dogs showed high adrenal concentrations and good adrenal images. In the dog, higher concentrations were obtained in the adrenal medulla than in the cortex at Days 1 and 7 after dosing. Extraction and thin-layer chromatography of the adrenal lipid in dogs given this compound showed that 75Se in the adrenal is still attached to the steroid moiety. A reduction in production costs is expected from its longer shelf life. Selenium-75-19-selenocholesterol is being evaluated in humans not only for routine use as a adrenal cortex scanning agent, but also for the detection of pheochromocytomas and other sympathetic tissue tumors, especially neuroblastomas.