Abdominal paraganglioma in a pediatric patient

Abstract

A9-year-oldboypresentedwithabdominalpain.AbdominalUS showed a large cystic mass measuring 13.4×6.8 cmassociated with several peripheral solid nodules (M) (Fig. 1,arrows). CTconfirmed the large cystic abdominal mass (M)(Fig. 2) with an enhancing nodular periphery (arrows).Surgical pathology showed cystic paraganglioma.Paraganglioma is a rare neuroendocrine neoplasm arisingfrom the paraganglionic cells found in various anatomiclocations [1, 2]. As a result of excess secretion of catechol-amine, patients with a functioning paraganglioma commonlypresent with palpitations, headache, sweating, and hyperten-sion [1, 2]. In contrast, patients with a nonfunctioningparaganglioma typically present with an enlarging palpablemass or associated pain, as in this patient [ 2]. Althoughcomplete surgical resection usually results in a cure, approx-imately 20–42% of paragangliomas can metastasize toregional lymph nodes, bone, liver, and lungs [ 1, 2]. Onimaging, paragangliomas are usually large (>3 cm) andhypervascular, and they often demonstrate extensive internalcystic degeneration [1, 2].References