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Case Reports
. 2006 Mar;99(3):153-5.
doi: 10.1177/014107680609900319.

Bilateral adrenal masses: phaeochromocytoma or melanoma?

Isla S Mackenzie  1 , Michael J Ashby, Tim Donovan, Demetrius D Voutnis, Morris J Brown
Affiliations
Case Reports

Bilateral adrenal masses: phaeochromocytoma or melanoma?

Isla S Mackenzie et al. J R Soc Med. 2006 Mar.
No abstract available

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Abdominal CT scan showing bilateral adrenal masses
Figure 2
Figure 2
Melanuria—a specimen of the patient's urine that had been left standing. The dark colour is due to the oxidation of melanogens in the urine.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a)18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET scan showing abnormal uptake of tracer in the adrenal masses and left axilla (arrow). (b) 6-[18F]-fluoro-L-DOPA (F-DOPA) PET scan showing abnormal uptake of tracer in the adrenal masses and left inguinal region (arrow).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Melanin and catecholamine biosynthetic pathways. Induction of tyrosine hydroxylase in melanoma tissue leads to the formation of excessive amounts of DOPA, melanogens and melanins. High circulating levels of DOPA are converted to dopamine by the enzyme DOPA decarboxylase (which is mainly present in the kidney) during renal excretion, causing greatly elevated dopamine levels in the urine.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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