Diagnosis and management of adrenal incidentaloma: use of clinical judgment and evidence in dialog with the patient

Abstract

The prevalence of adrenal incidentaloma (AI) in imaging studies, including those of the adrenal glands, is estimated to be 1–5%. Essential factors for the proper management of AI include a correct diagnosis, adequate surgical skills, appropriate perioperative management, and sound dialogue with the patient. Aside from the possibility of overdiagnosis, patients with apparent signs or symptoms attributable to adrenal hormone excess have reasonable indications for surgery. At the same time, milder patients may be candidates for active surveillance without intervention. Even individuals with nonfunctioning AI may benefit from surgery if imaging studies depict the tumor as suggestive of malignancy. However, a differential diagnosis of AI may not be easy for surgeons with little experience in seeing such patients.Furthermore, a patient without a correct diagnosis may miss the window of opportunity for a cure or incur a greater risk of developing complications, such as adrenal insufficiency or cardiovascular events during or after surgery, due to inadequate management. The clinical practice guidelines for AI from around the world may be helpful for shared decision-making; however, Japan lacks established guidelines. In this review article, we propose practical guidelines relevant to management by summarizing the evidence for five key questions that are often asked in dialog with patients with AI.