A rare cause of complicated hypertension: urinary bladder paraganglioma

South Med J. 2009 Nov;102(11):1173-5. doi: 10.1097/SMJ.0b013e3181b357de.

Abstract

After a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a 35-year-old patient developed paroxystic hypertension accompanied by typical symptoms. These symptoms occurred exclusively after urination. A urinary bladder paraganglioma was discovered using iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine (I-123 MIBG) scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after the detection of an abnormally elevated plasma metanephrine measurement. A partial cystectomy was performed which cured the symptoms. Paragangliomas, defined by their extra-adrenal localization, have slightly different characteristics than pheochromocytomas, leading to specific care and follow up.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / etiology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Normetanephrine / blood
  • Paraganglioma / complications*
  • Paraganglioma / diagnosis
  • Paraganglioma / diagnostic imaging
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / complications*
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging

Substances

  • Normetanephrine