Unilateral Primary Adrenal B-Cell Lymphoma Clinically Mimicking Chronic Gastritis

Primary adrenal lymphomas are a very rare type of extranodal lymphoma, and they usually are found bilaterally. Symptoms of the disease are variable and depend on the type of lymphoma and/ or presence of adrenal insufficiency. Magnetic resonance imaging is the best radiologic modality for differentiating lymphomas from other adrenal malignancies; however, histopathology is considered as the gold standard method for diagnosing extranodal lymphomas.

We present a case of unilateral adrenal lymphoma that was initially diagnosed as an infectious disease and chronic gastritis, based on clinical and laboratory findings. Ultrasonography detected an adrenal mass, and magnetic resonance imaging excluded common lesions of the adrenal gland and showed lymphadenopathy around the major vessels of the abdomen. A percutaneous biopsy of the mass and bone marrow biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of primary adrenal lymphoma without bone marrow metastasis.

Extranodal lymphomas can occur in almost every organ, and if nonspecific clinical findings are combined with the presence of a solid organ mass, lymphoma should be included in the differential diagnosis.