CYSTIC PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA: A CASE REPORT

Abstract

A 57-year-old woman, who had hypertension, visited a local doctor with the complaint of right abdominal swelling. Contrast-enhanced CT showed a 15-cm sized cystic mass in the upper right abdomen. The patient's laboratory data showed normal tumor markers, but high blood and urinary catecholamines. The tumor was taken up by131I-MIBG scintigraphy. The cystic mass was diagnosed as an adrenal pheochromocytoma, and open transperitoneal adrenalectomy was performed. During the operation, puncture of the cyst contents (adrenaline 2672pg / ml, noradrenaline 214200pg / ml) was performed, but there was no significant change in circulatory dynamics. Histopathologically, the tumor cells extended all around the cyst wall and were continuous with the normal adrenal gland. The tumor cells with a granular cytoplasm were arranged in an alveolar pattern on the cyst wall. The histopathological findings were consistent with the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. The patient is doing well without recurrence and with treatment with antihypertensive medication after 3.5 years of follow-up. (Nishinihon J. Urol. 84: 66-70, 2021).