Retroperitoneal paraganglioma presenting as hypertension and paraparesis in young

Abstract

Paragangliomas(PGL) are rare tumours that arise from extra-adrenal paraganglia. Extra-adrenal paragangliomas account for only 5 to 10% of all paragangliomas and may present incidentally as a mass. Typical triad of fluctuating hypertension, headache, and sweating is not always present which makes the diagnosis sometimes difficult. Extraadrenal retroperitoneal PGLs are functionally active more often than previously reported and that they are readily detected by soft tissue masses closely associated with the entire length of abdominal aorta. However, no CT feature was found that was unique for PGL.1 Herein we describe the clinical, radiological and pathological features in young patient presented for hypertension and paraparesis, and later on diagnosed as malignant abdominal paraganglioma with vertebral and lymph node metastasis.