Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
J Korean Med Sci. 2011 Oct;26(10):1386-90. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2011.26.10.1386. Epub 2011 Oct 1.
A 29-yr-old man, presented with abdominal pain and fever, had an initial computed tomography (CT) scan revealing low attenuation of both adrenal glands. The initial concern was for tuberculous adrenalitis or autoimmune adrenalitis combined with adrenal hemorrhage. The patient started empirical anti-tuberculous medication, but there was no improvement. Enlargement of cervical lymph nodes were developed after that and excisional biopsy of cervical lymph nodes was performed. Pathological finding of excised lymph nodes was compatible to NK/T-cell lymphoma. The patient died due to the progression of the disease even after undergoing therapeutic trials including chemotherapy. Lymphoma mainly involving adrenal gland in the early stage of the disease is rare and the vast majority of cases that have been reported were of B-cell origin. From this case it is suggested that extra-nodal NK/T-cell lymphoma should be considered as a cause of bilateral adrenal masses although it is rare.
一位 29 岁男性,因腹痛和发热就诊,最初的计算机断层扫描(CT)显示双侧肾上腺密度降低。最初的担忧是结核性肾上腺炎或自身免疫性肾上腺炎合并肾上腺出血。患者开始接受经验性抗结核治疗,但没有改善。此后,颈淋巴结肿大,行颈淋巴结切除术。切除淋巴结的病理检查结果符合 NK/T 细胞淋巴瘤。尽管进行了包括化疗在内的治疗试验,患者仍因疾病进展而死亡。疾病早期主要累及肾上腺的淋巴瘤很少见,绝大多数已报道的病例均为 B 细胞来源。从这个病例可以看出,尽管非常罕见,但也应考虑节外 NK/T 细胞淋巴瘤是双侧肾上腺肿块的原因之一。