title: Small extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma causing severe hypertension in an elderly patient.
abstract: We report the case of a 67-year-old woman with severe hypertension caused by an extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma. The tumor was detected by 131I metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy and it was found to be small (2 cm ø) by enhanced CT. After the extirpation of the tumor, the blood pressure of the patient immediately normalized. It should be taken into account that a small extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma can be one of the causes of secondary hypertension in elderly patients. Since small extra-adrenal pheochromocytomas are difficult to detect, it is also important to perform suitable examinations to establish the diagnosis. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of an accurate diagnosis in elderly patients with pheochromocytoma, for they often have less symptomatology and more severe cardiovascular complications due to refractory hypertension than younger patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetic Medicine and Regenerative Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biofunction, Tottori University Graduate School of Medical Science, Yonago, Japan. einosuke@grape.med.tottori-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Einosuke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mizuta
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimoyama
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nawada
authors.forename: Junichiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miake
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kaetsu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peili
authors.forename: Kiyosuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishiguro
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishiguro
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Igawa
authors.forename: Chiaki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shigemasa
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hisatome
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D000368:Aged; D004379:Duodenal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology*; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine