Adrenal bilateral incidentaloma by reactivated histoplasmosis

Abstract

We report a case of bilateral adrenal incidentaloma caused by the capsulatum variety of Histoplasma capsulatum diagnosed in a 74 years old man born in and a life time resident of Treviso, Italy, with the exception of two years spent in Pakistan (1964-1966) as a well-driller. The patient was hospitalized in 1995 for alcoholic chronic hepatitis, chronic Helicobacter pylori gastritis and post-infarction ischemic cardiomyopathy. Abdominal ultrasound incidentally showed bilateral adrenal masses (the right one 6.3 cm in diameter) confirmed by computed tomography, with adrenal function within normal limits. After three months, the patient was again hospitalized due to evening fever, asthenia, anorexia, weight loss and occasional hyperhidrosis. Abdominal ultrasound showed an increase of the right adrenal lesion with normal adrenal function. Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration did not prove useful for diagnosis. Accordingly, a laparotomy with bilateral biopsy was performed; histology showed the presence of numerous tissue form cells of H. capsulatum variety capsulatum. Serum anti-H. capsulatum antibodies were negative. Since March, 1996, the patient was given itraconazole and his symptoms quickly regressed but the computed tomography findings, however, have not changed and the patient has adrenal hypofunction that is being treated with cortisone acetate.