Endocrine Abstracts

Case: A 40-year-old woman presented in 04/2015 with pain in the upper abdomen and a history of paroxysmal tachycardia. Plasma normetanephrines were highly elevated. Imaging revealed a large retroperitoneal tumor (15×12×8 cm), which could be completely resected after pre-treatment with urapidil. Histology confirmed diagnosis of a paraganglioma. Genetic diagnostics detected a previously unknown mutation in intron 2 of the SDHB-gene (c.200+5G>C). Six month after ini...

Introduction: Manifestations of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) such as osteoporosis and stone diseases are common primary diagnostic findings beyond a hypercalcemia. Classical skeletal involvement can be the first sign of PHPT, but not recognized because osteitis fibrosa cystica (bone cysts, brown tumors of the long bones) is rarely seen today in Western Europe.Case report: A 34-year old women from Afghanistan was presented to our out-patient-clinic ...

Introduction: Myelolipomas account for 5–15% of all resected adrenal masses and are considered as benign lesions consisting of fat and myeloid tissue. Their pathogenesis is mostly unknown, though altered mesenchymal stem cell function or a sustained respond to increased ACTH stimulation are discussed. Even though these findings are partly inconclusive, an increased incidence of myelolipoma in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) has been reported, which may ...

A 34-year-old refugee from Somalia was referred because of a suspected DSD. Due to ambiguous, but predominantly female external genitalia at birth he was raised as a girl, whereas his subjective gender identity has always been male. Puberty led to a significant virilization of the body but only to a very limited virilization of the external genitalia. The patient presented himself with an undoubtedly male-type body composition. External genitalia were now predominantly male wi...

Background: Osteolytic metastases of the bone occur in several malignant tumors. Beside osseous metastases, endocrine diseases like primary hyperparathyroidism can mimic osteolytic metastases.Case report: A 53-year-old woman was sent to the hospital by an oral surgeon with a worsening of her general condition, fatigue, a painful tumor of the mandible, diffuse bone pain and the diagnosis of a suspected metastasized malignancy. Laboratory testing showed a ...

Background: Multiple diagnostic modalities may be needed to establish the source of excessive androgen production in women. The detection of testosterone-producing ovarian tumors by imaging techniques can be difficult because of their in same cases small size and radiological structure.Case report: We describe a 55-year-old postmenopausal woman presenting with progressive severe virilization (Ferriman Gallwey-Score: 23–26), increased hair growth, ma...

Background: Adrenal masses can be detected by ultrasound with high sensitivity and specificity. However, a differentiation between benign and malignant adrenal masses is presently not possible. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound has been studied intensively with excellent results for the characterization of liver lesions.The aim of the present study was to evaluate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound for the characterization of adrenal mass in a proof of...