Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Adrenocortical Hyperplasia

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Pathology

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Pathology ((EP))

  • 47 Accesses

Definition

Adrenal cortical hyperplasia is a non-neoplastic condition characterized by an increase in the number of cortical cells, which results in diffuse symmetric thickening with or without cortical nodules.

Clinical Features

Clinical manifestations vary from asymptomatic to Cushing syndrome, depending on etiology and severity of hyperplasia (Boscaro et al. 2001). Cushing syndrome can be pituitary-dependent (Cushing disease), related to ectopic production of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and infrequently corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) from neuroendocrine tumors, or due to rare forms of ACTH-independent adrenal cortical hyperplasia, such as primary pigmented nodular adrenal disease (PPNAD) and macronodular hyperplasia with marked adrenal enlargement (MHMAE).

  • Incidence

    Adrenal cortical hyperplasia affects less than 1% of the general population.

  • Age

    Although adrenal cortical hyperplasia is more prevalent in the elderly, it can be observed over a wide age range (Dobbie 1969)...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References and Further Reading

  • Boscaro, M., Barzon, L., Fallo, F., & Sonino, N. (2001). Cushing’s syndrome. Lancet, 357, 783–789.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carney, J. A., Young, W. F., & Stratakis, C. A. (2011). Primary bimorphic adrenocortical disease: Cause of hypercortisolism in McCune-Albright syndrome. American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 35, 1311–1326.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dobbie, J. W. (1969). Adrenocortical nodular hyperplasia: The ageing adrenal. Journal of Pathology, 99, 1–18.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lack, E. E. (Ed.). (2007). Atlas of tumour pathology: Tumors of the adrenal gland and extra-adrenal paraganglia (Fascicle 19, series 3). Washington, DC: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lam, K. Y., & Lo, C. Y. (1999). The clinicopathologic significance of unilateral adrenal cortical hyperplasia: Report of an unusual case and a review of the literature. Endocrine Pathology, 10, 243–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vassiliadi, D. A., & Tsagarakis, S. (2019). Diagnosis and management of primary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia. Endocrine-Related Cancer, 26, R567–R581.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pathological Anatomy Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

    Ilaria Camilla Galli & Gabriella Nesi

Authors
  1. Ilaria Camilla Galli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gabriella Nesi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gabriella Nesi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. NIJMEGEN, The Netherlands

    J.H.J.M. van Krieken

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Galli, I.C., Nesi, G. (2020). Adrenocortical Hyperplasia. In: van Krieken, J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Pathology. Encyclopedia of Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28845-1_5238-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28845-1_5238-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-28845-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-28845-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation