Adrenal gland & paraganglia
Other tumors
Myelolipoma
Author: Lan L. Gellert, M.D., Ph.D.
Topic Completed: 1 January 2017
Minor changes: 16 January 2020
Copyright: 2002-2021, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: adrenal myelolipoma
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Essential features | Epidemiology | Etiology | Radiology images | Case reports | Treatment | Gross description | Gross images | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Differential diagnosisCite this page: Gellert LL. Myelolipoma. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/adrenalmyelolipoma.html. Accessed January 22nd, 2021.
Definition / general
- Benign and usually unilateral tumor composed of hematopoietic precursor cells and mature fat
- Usually an incidental autopsy finding or CT / MRI finding
- Not associated with hematologic disorders; nonfunctioning
Essential features
- Benign and usually unilateral tumor composed of hematopoietic precursor cells and mature fat
- Usually an incidental finding
- Not associated with hematologic disorders; nonfunctioning
Epidemiology
- No gender predilection
- Typically in the fifth to seventh decade of life
Etiology
- May due to metaplastic change in the reticuloendothelial cells in response to stimuli including necrosis, infection or stress (Int J Urol 2005;12:239)
Radiology images
Images hosted on other servers:
Abdominal US scan
CT abdomen findings
MRI scan findings
Giant bilateral myelolipomas of abdomen
Axial section of
computed tomogram
showing mass in right
supra renal gland
Case reports
- 11 year old girl with adrenal myelolipoma (J Indian Assoc Pediatr Surg 2014;19:236)
- 20 year old woman with coexisting adrenal myelolipoma and adrenal ganglioneuroma (Arch Pathol Lab Med 2002;126:736)
- 40 year old man with giant myelolipoma presented with massive hemorrhage and abscess (Nephrourol Mon 2015;7:e22671)
- 48 year old woman with beta thalassemia trait had right adrenal myelolipoma (Int J Surg Case Rep 2016;24:83)
- 51 year old man with bilateral giant adrenal myelolipomas (Endocrinol Diabetes Metab Case Rep 2015;2015:150079)
- 58 year old woman with nonfunctional unilateral adrenal mass (J Clin Diagn Res 2015;9:ED03)
- 66 year old woman with 8 cm adrenal tumor (Arch Pathol Lab Med 2004;128:703)
- 66 year old woman with giant, asymptomatic and perirenal extra adrenal tumor (Arch Pathol Lab Med 1994;118:188)
- Ectopic adrenal myelolipoma arising in or next to spleen of a patient with sickle cell disease (Arch Pathol Lab Med 1995;119:561)
Treatment
- Follow up or excision if symptomatic
Gross description
- Nonencapsulated, bright yellow adipose-like tissue with hemorrhagic foci (contains marrow tissue)
- May be up to 5 kg
Gross images
Contributed by
Lan L. Gellert, M.D., Ph.D.
Myelolipoma
Case of the Week #170
Various images
Images hosted on other servers:
Bright yellow, and focally red, fatty tumor with extensive hemorrhage
Gross specimen of left adrenal myelolipoma
Gross appearance of adrenal myelolipoma
Grey / brown / yellowish areas with areas of hemorrhage
Intraoperative picture showing large suprarenal mass
Well circumscribed
tumor with multiple
areas of hemorrhage
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Islands of hematopoietic cells and mature fat
- Usually show normal trilineage hematopoiesis, but often with markedly increased megakaryocytes
- Larger tumors may have hemorrhage, necrosis, calcification and cysts
- Rarely may have areas of fibromyxoid degeneration resembling low grade fibromyxoid sarcoma
Microscopic (histologic) images
Contributed by Lan L. Gellert, M.D., Ph.D.
Various images
Case of the Week #170
Various images
Differential diagnosis
