Brief Review

Functional Paragangliomas Presenting as Primary Liver Tumors

Authors: Sanziana A. Roman, MD, FACS, Julie Ann Sosa, MA, MD, FACS

Abstract

Paragangliomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors derived from the extra-adrenal paraganglia. They can present anywhere along the sympathetic paraganglia chains from the neck to the pelvis, but they occur most often intra-abdominally in the periaortic region and the organ of Zuckerkandl. They also have been reported in other unusual sites, such as the gallbladder, the biliary ductal system, and the urinary bladder.1–3 There are a handful of reports of either eccentric right adrenal neoplasms or paragangliomas mimicking primary liver tumors, usually in segments 7 or 8.4,5

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