ABSTRACT
A pair of adrenal glands located on the upper pole of renal parenchyma produces mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, sex steroids, dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. The adult adrenal gland weighs around 4–5 g each.
Adrenal lesions are associated with a vast array of clinical syndromes related to the peptide and steroid hormones. The clinical symptoms are quite similar in multiple lesions; therefore, gross and morphological findings of adrenal lesions must always be supplemented with clinical-radiological and serological variables.
The three layers of adrenal are, namely, the zona glomerulosa, the zona fasciculata and the zona reticularis. The adrenal cortex synthesizes steroid hormones and is under the control of the hypothalamus/pituitary axis. Zona glomerulosa produces mineralocorticoids while fasciculata and reticularis, glucocorticoids and sex steroids. Medulla, however, produces tyrosine-derived dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine.
Largely resection specimens of adrenal are evaluated for histological diagnosis; however, ultrasound/CT-guided needle aspiration and biopsy have been seen to be informative in diagnosis and management of adrenal lesions. These minimally invasive methods have rather been useful in establishment of diagnoses of a metastatic lesion.
