ADRENAL ARTERIOVENOUS MALFORMATION MASQUERADING AS AN ADRENAL ADENOMA

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Vascular Surgery
• Radiology

Background:

• Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of the adrenal gland are exceptionally rare vascular anomalies.
• Accurate preoperative diagnosis of adrenal lesions is crucial for appropriate management.

Observation:

• A 48-year-old woman presented with abdominal pain, revealing a 9x7 cm right adrenal mass on imaging.
• Initial imaging suggested an adrenal adenoma, but the absence of clinical symptoms and endocrine abnormalities indicated a non-functional lesion.

Findings:

• Surgical intervention via laparoscopic right adrenalectomy was performed.
• Pathological examination confirmed the lesion to be an adrenal arteriovenous malformation, not an adrenal tumor.

Implications:

• This case represents the first reported instance of an adrenal arteriovenous malformation mimicking an adrenal tumor.
• It underscores the importance of considering rare vascular malformations in the differential diagnosis of adrenal masses, even when imaging suggests a more common etiology.