Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 1, 2026

Author Spotlight: Developing a Bedside Protocol for Kidney and Genitourinary Ultrasonography
Published on: June 21, 2024
Primary retroperitoneal pseudocyst: beware of the hoax solid enhancing adrenal mass
Matthew Farag1,2, Dennis Gyomber2, Sam Norden3
1Urology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia mattyfarag@hotmail.com.
Abstract:
We report the case of a 55-year-old male patient with an incidental finding on CT of a 'large adrenal mass'. The mass, which was intimately related to the left adrenal, was enhancing but not metabolically active. CT showed a 40×32 mm mass adjacent to the left adrenal and medial border of the spleen, 32 Hounsfield units (HU) precontrast and 116 HU postcontrast, consistent with a solid enhancing mass. The patient had no previous history of acute pancreatitis or any history of trauma. The patient proceeded to a laparoscopic left adrenalectomy; intraoperatively, a well-circumscribed lesion was identified intimately related to the splenic artery and able to be peeled away easily from the left adrenal. The lesion was unable to be dissected from the splenic artery and consequently the splenic artery was divided in order to completely resect this lesion. Histopathology identified the lesion as a 'non-pancreatic fibrous pseudocyst', with a thick calcified wall, the absence of epithelial lining and widespread inflammatory change.
Related Concept Videos
Anatomy of the Adrenal Glands
These glands possess a distinctive yellow tinge due to the stored cholesterol and fatty acids required for hormone synthesis. They are encased in a fibrous capsule and cushioned by fat.
The adrenal gland comprises two distinct...
Adrenal Gland Disorders
Adrenal insufficiency, characterized by insufficient cortisol and aldosterone production, leads to conditions like Addison's disease. This disorder, affecting the adrenal cortex, exhibits symptoms such as skin bronzing, dehydration, low blood pressure, fatigue, and weight loss. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic ailment causing...
Internal Anatomy of the Kidney
Anatomical Position and Dimensions
The kidneys are retroperitoneal organs positioned against the posterior abdominal wall on either side of the spine, roughly between the twelfth thoracic and third lumbar vertebrae. Each kidney is typically 10-12 cm long, 5-6 cm wide, and 3-4 cm thick, weighing about 150 grams.
Renal Cortex
The outermost region of the kidney is the...

