Transesophageal endoscopic ultrasound/fine-needle aspiration diagnosis of a malignant adrenal gland in a patient with non-small cell lung cancer and a negative CT scan

• Published in: Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Vol. 48; no. 2; pp. 247 - 249
• Main Authors: Ringbaek, T.J., Krasnik, M., Clementsen, P., Skov, B.G., Rasmussen, E.N., Vilmann, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.05.2005; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - diagnosis; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - secondary; Aged; Aspiration diagnosis; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy, Needle; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - secondary; CT scan; Endoscopy; Esophagus; False Negative Reactions; Humans; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - diagnosis; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; Pneumology; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Tumors of the respiratory system and mediastinum; Aspiration diagnosis; CT scan; Lung cancer; Human; Lung disease; Radiodiagnosis; Adrenal glands; Respiratory disease; Aspiration; Malignant tumor; non-small cell lung carcinoma; Aspiration punction; Bronchus disease; Medical imagery; Computerized axial tomography; Diagnosis; Endoscopy; Ultrasound; Non small cell carcinoma
• ISSN: 0169-5002; 1872-8332
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2004.10.019

Adrenal metastasis is only seen on CT scan is less than 5% of patients with otherwise resectable NSCLS, but this diagnosis has a major impact on treatment and prognosis. We present a case of a patient with NSCLC and an adrenal metastasis, which was diagnosed by EUS/FNA of an enlarged adrenal gland, who had false-negative CT scan for adrenal metastasis. PET was not performed. Prospective studies are needed to assess the incremental yield of EUS/FNA over upper abdominal CT scan and PET for detecting left adrenal metastasis in patients with suspected or proven otherwise respectable NSCLC.