RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Dopamine-secreting adrenal ganglioneuroma presenting with paroxysmal hypertension attacks
JF Saudi Medical Journal
JO Saudi Med J
FD Prince Sultan Military Medical City
SP 122
OP 125
VO 29
IS 1
A1 Erem, Cihangir
A1 Kocak, Mustafa
A1 Cinel, Akif
A1 Erso, Halil O.
A1 Reis, Abdulkadir
YR 2008
UL http://smj.org.sa/content/29/1/122.abstract
AB Adrenal ganglioneuromas are rare tumors originating from the neural crest tissue of the sympathetic nervous system. The clinical presentation for most patients is asymptomatic, and most of these tumors are hormone silent. We report a case of dopamine-secreting adrenal ganglioneuroma associated with paroxysmal hypertensive attacks in an adult patient. A 46-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a 2-month history of right flank pain, and a 2-year history of paroxysmal hypertensive attacks associated with headaches, palpitations, nervousness, and sweating. Abdominal CT and MRI revealed a solid round tumor approximately 4 cm in diameter on the upper pole of the right kidney. Urinary levels of dopamine and homovanillic acid were slightly elevated, although urinary levels of metanephrine and normetanephrine were suppressed. The urinary levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and vanillylmandelic acid were within normal limits. Right adrenalectomy was performed for treatment purposes. Histological diagnosis of the tumor was a ganglioneuroma originating from the adrenal medulla. In conclusion, this is a case of dopamine-secreting adrenal ganglioneuroma associated with paroxysmal hypertensive attacks in an adult patient.