Adrenal mass with virilisation: importance of endocrine investigation

摘要

The combination of virilisation, increased androgen activity, and an adrenal mass on imaging in a female patient suggests a diagnosis of adrenal virilising tumour, for which appropriate treatment is surgical removal. Adrenal "incidentalomas," however, are comparatively common, and this combination of problems can also be due to congenital adrenal hyperplasia. We describe a case of virilisation and left sided adrenal tumour in a 16 year old woman in whom a full endocrinological investigation would have avoided unnecessary surgery.