Case: 149

Ganglioneuroma

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History: 20 yo female with "mass" identified during appendectomy
Solution: Ganglioneuromas is a benign tumor that arises from the neural crest cells of the central nervous system. Ganglioneuromas can arise anywhere there is sympathetic nervous tissue, but the most common locations are the adrenal gland, paraspinal retroperitoneum, posterior mediastinum, head, and neck. The malignant variant of this tumor (ganglioneuroblastoma) has essentially identical radiographic features, so biopsy and/or excision is required. The prognosis for these patients is favorable and a reasonable differential diagnosis would include other neural tumors, lymphangioma, hemangioma, and a retroperitoneal sarcoma.

Questions

The epicenter of this tumor is within:
  • The kidney
  • The retroperitoneum
  • The adrenal gland
  • The bowel
  • The mesentery
US would be the preferred modality for biopsy over CT.
True
Please give a differential diagnosis of the three most likely diagnoses. If one is correct, you will get credit.
Ganglioneuroma.