A giant adrenal cyst difficult to diagnose except by surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Adrenal cysts represent rare clinical entities. Although surgical indications are well defined, pitfalls arise from the failure to establish an accurate preoperative diagnosis. Cystic lesions of other abdominal organs especially the pancreas complicate the diagnostic field. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We present the case of a giant adrenal cyst in a young female causing diagnostic dilemma. Imaging studies revealed a large cystic lesion of uncertain origin located between the spleen and the tail of the pancreas. It was decided to perform a laparotomy which confirmed the presence of an adrenal cyst and enucleation of the cyst was performed. Examination at one year confirmed no complications. DISCUSSION: Adrenal cysts should always be included in the differential diagnosis of cystic abdominal lesions.
CONCLUSION: When the preoperative diagnosis is uncertain, surgical intervention can be both diagnostic and therapeutic.