title: A case of metastatic extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma 12 years after surgery.
abstract: At the age of 53, a 65-year-old man had been diagnosed with extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma in the retroperitoneum and underwent total tumorectomy. Afterward, he had his serum catecholamine periodically measured in an outpatient clinic. In February 1999, 12 years after surgery, he complained of lower left abdominal pain. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed an osteolytic lesion in thoracic vertebrae 11Th (Th 11). Although his basal serum and urine catecholamines were at normal levels, glucagon injection increased blood pressure and plasma catecholamine levels. 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy was specifically taken up to Th 11. By bone biopsy, the osteolytic lesion in Th 11 was finally diagnosed with metastasis of pheochromocytoma. For post-operative pheochromocytoma, long-term follow-up involving biochemical tests, including serum catecholamines, and MIBG is needed.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Ehime University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Shunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okura
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitami
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.forename: Michitsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Sanae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Takeru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiwada
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine