Primary adrenal non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: Report of two cases

Abstract

Primary adrenal lymphoma is very rare. It is characterized by a high incidence of bilateral adrenal involvement of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. It can be diagnosed with endocrine evaluation, imaging studies and histopathological examination. We present two cases of primary adrenal lymphoma. One is a 74-year-old female patient with right primary adrenal lymphoma and the other is a 62-year-old male patient with bilateral primary adrenal lymphoma associated with normal adrenal function. In both cases, radiological features led to an initial misdiagnosis. The surgical exploration demonstrated masses invading the retroperitoneal space, and the biopsy revealed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. In conclusion, primary adrenal lymphoma should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of adrenal masses. In cases of suspicious primary adrenal lymphoma, percutaneous computerized tomography or ultrasonography-guided needle biopsy can help to avoid unnecessary surgeries.