Extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma causing renal artery stenosis and implications of magnetic resonance imaging as...

Extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma causing renal artery stenosis is very uncommon. We describe a patient who had hypertension from this entity. Surgical excision of the mass corrected the renal artery stenosis without the need for bypass grafting, and the patient has remained normotensive. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an extremely bright lesion on T2 weighted image, which is virtually pathognomonic. MRI is the most sensitive modality for the detection of an extra-adrenal or unsuspected multiple pheochromocytoma. This should obviate the need for routine abdominal exploration in the evaluation and treatment of pheochromocytoma. Therefore we strongly recommend magnetic resonance imaging in the management of adrenal masses in general and pheochromocytomas in particular.