[Four cases of adrenal tumor discovered through examination before surgery for lung cancer].

Preoperative CT and Ultrasonography (US) showed adrenal tumors in four patients with lung cancer. Although metastasis of the cancer to the adrenal gland was suspected, a definitive diagnosis could not be made by CT and US alone. MRI is as ineffective as CT and US. Needle biopsy is useful if tumor cells are detected, but not unless they are discovered. Surgery, therefore, is necessary to establish the final diagnosis. (Adrenalectomy was performed on all cases, one of which had metastasis). No particular complications occurred after adrenalectomy. Adrenalectomy was considered unavoidable to determine stage and treatment policies in patients suspected of metastasis in imaging diagnosis.