Fine needle aspiration cytology of the adrenal gland

The cytologic appearance of fine needle aspiration (FNA) specimens emanating from both symptomatic and incidental masses of the adrenal glands in 22 patients who attended a large cancer institution from 1976 to 1981 is described. Eligibility for the study required thorough clinical and radiologic follow-up for at least two years following the initial cytologic diagnosis. Histologic and ultrastructural correlations were performed when possible. Nine patients were found to have benign lesions, including five adrenal cysts, two adenomas, one nodular hyperplasia and one adrenal myelolipoma. Thirteen patients had malignant lesions, of which six were primary adrenal tumors, either neuroblastoma (two) or adrenocortical carcinoma (four). The overall sensitivity of FNA in detecting the presence of malignancy was 85%, which the number of patients correctly classified for all adrenal masses was 90%. The test was 100% specific for malignant lesions. It is concluded that FNA of adrenal masses is a safe and simple procedure with a high degree of accuracy. Its use appears to be especially justifiable in those patients with primary neoplasms of nonadrenal sites, in whom silent adrenal lesions are detected during radiologic surveys for metastatic disease. Fifteen of the patients fell into this category, yet over half (53%) of them were shown to have benign adrenal lesions, treatable with a conservative approach.