Adrenal Rests in the Uro-genital Tract of an Adult Population. 2021

Enrico Costantino Falco, and Lorenzo Daniele, and Jasna Metovic, and Enrico Bollito, and Giovanni De Rosa, and Marco Volante, and Mauro Papotti
Pathology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Città Della Salute E Della Scienza Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.

Ectopic adrenal rests are a rare condition which can be found in various sites, generally in the retroperitoneum or pelvis along the path of gonadal descent. Their real prevalence is unknown. Males are more commonly affected, at least in the pediatric age. Adrenal rests are usually clinically silent and incidentally found in surgical samples, mostly in the pediatric population, and rarely in adults. With the aim of increasing knowledge and estimating the prevalence of ectopic adrenocortical tissue in the adult population, 44 adrenal rests in the urogenital tract of 40 adults are described. These represent approximately 0.07% of the total number of urogenital and gynecological surgeries performed in the 22 considered years. Adrenal rests were identified in the spermatic cord (10 males) and in paraovarian, parasalpingeal, or infundibulopelvic ligament locations (30 females). All but one was incidental findings. One case regarded an adrenocortical carcinoma arisen in adrenal rests. A literature review of adrenal ectopia in the urogenital tract of adults identified 57 reported cases from 53 patients, with similar clinicopathological features as those of our series, with the exception of a lower incidence of parasalpingeal locations. Despite their limited clinical implications, awareness of ectopic adrenal rests is essential also in adults for at least two reasons: (a) to correctly identify sources of adrenocortical hormone production in case of adrenal insufficiency or hormonal imbalance and (b) to avoid misinterpretations in the diagnostic workup of renal cell carcinoma, adrenocortical tumors, and rare gonadal neoplasms, including Sertoli/Leydig cell tumors.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D002828 Choristoma A mass of histologically normal tissue present in an abnormal location. Aberrant Tissue,Ectopic Tissue,Heterotopic Tissue,Aberrant Tissues,Choristomas,Ectopic Tissues,Heterotopic Tissues,Tissue, Aberrant,Tissue, Ectopic,Tissue, Heterotopic,Tissues, Aberrant,Tissues, Ectopic,Tissues, Heterotopic
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000091642 Urogenital Diseases Pathological processes of the URINARY TRACT and the reproductive system (GENITALIA). Genitourinary Diseases,Disease, Genitourinary,Disease, Urogenital,Genitourinary Disease,Urogenital Disease
D000311 Adrenal Glands A pair of glands located at the cranial pole of each of the two KIDNEYS. Each adrenal gland is composed of two distinct endocrine tissues with separate embryonic origins, the ADRENAL CORTEX producing STEROIDS and the ADRENAL MEDULLA producing NEUROTRANSMITTERS. Adrenal Gland,Gland, Adrenal,Glands, Adrenal
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D000369 Aged, 80 and over Persons 80 years of age and older. Oldest Old

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