Intravenous extension of endocrine tumors.

Four patients with intravenous extension of endocrine tumors are described. Three had adrenal carcinoma with extension along the adrenal veins into the inferior vena cava. In two of these, the extension into the inferior vena cava was demonstrated by computed tomography. The fourth patient had a glomus jugulare with extension down the jugular vein into the superior vena cava. In ech case preoperative radiologic evaluation demonstrated the tumor and its venous extension.