Adrenal tumors are commonly encountered in the practice of radiology (adrenal incidentalomas). They may arise from the adrenal gland itself, either the cortex or the medulla, or they could be secondary lesions, and they may be benign or malignant. When an adrenal tumor is identified, the key clinical questions are whether it is functioning and whether it is malignant. It is vital to be familiar with imaging characteristics of adrenal tumors for appropriate diagnosis and management.
Regarding functionality, although 75% of adrenal tumors are non-functioning cortical adenomas, there is a subset of these masses with important clinical consequences (i.e. primary adrenal cancer or metastases to adrenal glands, pheochromocytoma and functional tumors that secrete cortisol, aldosterone or androgens). The delayed or false diagnosis may lead to development of severe complications of excess of secreted hormones (e.g. resistant hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis in case of hypercortisolaemia, hypertensive crisis or myocardial infarction in case of pheochromocytoma) or metastases (in case of primary adrenal cancer of malignant pheochromocytoma).
The correct identification of the nature of the adrenal tumor is important to determine the optimal therapeutic approach in each case: from only observation in non-functioning benign adrenal lesions, to medical and/or surgical treatment in malignant tumors or when over-secretion of adrenal hormones is present.
This Research Topic welcomes original research, including clinical, translational, as well as molecular studies, review articles, and clinical trials on a range of topics related to current and new diagnostic approaches and treatments for adrenal tumors (pheochromocytoma, primary aldosteronism, adrenocortical carcinoma, adrenal tumors with associated autonomous cortisol secretion, non-functioning adrenal tumors and others). Potential areas include, but are not limited to:
• Molecular studies (molecular mechanisms of adrenal tumors)
• Imaging studies
• Biomarkers (diagnostic advances and challenges of adrenal tumours, in particular the use of newer immunoassays and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry – LC-MS/MS)
• Clinical advances (new strategies/new techniques/clinical studies) in screening or functional evaluation of adrenal tumors)
• Treatment (advances in management of adrenal tumors)
• Epidemiology of adrenal tumors
Adrenal tumors are commonly encountered in the practice of radiology (adrenal incidentalomas). They may arise from the adrenal gland itself, either the cortex or the medulla, or they could be secondary lesions, and they may be benign or malignant. When an adrenal tumor is identified, the key clinical questions are whether it is functioning and whether it is malignant. It is vital to be familiar with imaging characteristics of adrenal tumors for appropriate diagnosis and management.
Regarding functionality, although 75% of adrenal tumors are non-functioning cortical adenomas, there is a subset of these masses with important clinical consequences (i.e. primary adrenal cancer or metastases to adrenal glands, pheochromocytoma and functional tumors that secrete cortisol, aldosterone or androgens). The delayed or false diagnosis may lead to development of severe complications of excess of secreted hormones (e.g. resistant hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis in case of hypercortisolaemia, hypertensive crisis or myocardial infarction in case of pheochromocytoma) or metastases (in case of primary adrenal cancer of malignant pheochromocytoma).
The correct identification of the nature of the adrenal tumor is important to determine the optimal therapeutic approach in each case: from only observation in non-functioning benign adrenal lesions, to medical and/or surgical treatment in malignant tumors or when over-secretion of adrenal hormones is present.
This Research Topic welcomes original research, including clinical, translational, as well as molecular studies, review articles, and clinical trials on a range of topics related to current and new diagnostic approaches and treatments for adrenal tumors (pheochromocytoma, primary aldosteronism, adrenocortical carcinoma, adrenal tumors with associated autonomous cortisol secretion, non-functioning adrenal tumors and others). Potential areas include, but are not limited to:
• Molecular studies (molecular mechanisms of adrenal tumors)
• Imaging studies
• Biomarkers (diagnostic advances and challenges of adrenal tumours, in particular the use of newer immunoassays and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry – LC-MS/MS)
• Clinical advances (new strategies/new techniques/clinical studies) in screening or functional evaluation of adrenal tumors)
• Treatment (advances in management of adrenal tumors)
• Epidemiology of adrenal tumors
