title: Asymptomatic but functional paraganglioma of the posterior mediastinum.
abstract: A 72-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of a posterior mediastinal tumor. On the basis of detailed imaging tests, including (123)I-metaiodobenzylguanidine single photon emission computed tomography-computed tomography, and elevated values of catecholamines in the plasma and urine, the tumor was diagnosed as a functional mediastinal paraganglioma even in the absence of symptoms. After preoperative blood pressure control, surgical resection was performed. During the operation, the systemic blood pressure increased transiently as a result of surgical manipulation of the tumor. Soon after the tumor was removed, the patient conversely experienced hypotension. The postoperative course was uneventful, and pathologic diagnosis revealed a paraganglioma.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzawa
authors.affiliation: Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan. Electronic address: h.yamamoto@md.okayama-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiromasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ichimura
authors.affiliation: Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toyooka
authors.affiliation: Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000175:diagnosis*