Use of fluorine-18-labelled deoxyglucose positron emission tomography with computed tomography to localize a paraganglioma in pregnancy

• Published in: Southern medical journal (Birmingham, Ala.) Vol. 103; no. 12; p. 1238
• Main Authors: Koroscil, Thomas M, McDonald, Stephen, Stutes, Shahan, Vila, Raul J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.2010
• Subjects: Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - diagnosis; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - pathology; Adult; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Paraganglioma - complications; Paraganglioma - diagnostic imaging; Paraganglioma - pathology; Pheochromocytoma - diagnosis; Pheochromocytoma - diagnostic imaging; Pheochromocytoma - pathology; Positron-Emission Tomography; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic - diagnostic imaging; Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic - pathology; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• ISSN: 1541-8243
• DOI: 10.1097/SMJ.0b013e3181eda0de

A nine-weeks pregnant, 27-year-old female was admitted for hypertension with a blood pressure of 213/110 mm Hg, headaches, palpitations, and anxiety. There was no previous history of hypertension or pre-eclampsia. She had elevated urinary normetanephrine, plasma-free normetanephrine, and plasma-free metanephrine concentrations. Phenoxybenzamine and labetalol were initiated for presumed pheochromocytoma. At thirteen weeks of pregnancy, a noncontrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen failed to identify an adrenal or extra-adrenal mass. At 21-weeks gestation, an abdominal [18-F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography with computed tomography demonstrated an extra-adrenal lesion. The patient underwent a laparotomy during the second trimester with successful removal of a benign paraganglioma.