Imaging of Ganglioneuroma: A Literature Review and a Rare Case of Cystic Presentation in an Adolescent Girl
Retroperitoneal ganglioneuroma is a rare neuroectodermal tumor with a benign nature. We performed a literature review among 338 studies. We included 9 studies, whose patients underwent CT and/or MRI to characterize a retroperitoneal mass, which was confirmed to be a ganglioneuroma by histologic exam...
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| author | Giulia Pacella Maria Chiara Brunese Federico Donnarumma Michele Barrassi Fabio Bellifemine Guido Sciaudone Gianfranco Vallone Germano Guerra Giuseppina Sallustio |
| author_facet | Giulia Pacella Maria Chiara Brunese Federico Donnarumma Michele Barrassi Fabio Bellifemine Guido Sciaudone Gianfranco Vallone Germano Guerra Giuseppina Sallustio |
| author_sort | Giulia Pacella |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Retroperitoneal ganglioneuroma is a rare neuroectodermal tumor with a benign nature. We performed a literature review among 338 studies. We included 9 studies, whose patients underwent CT and/or MRI to characterize a retroperitoneal mass, which was confirmed to be a ganglioneuroma by histologic exam. The most common features of ganglioneuroma are considered to be a solid nature, oval/lobulated shape, and regular margins. The ganglioneuroma shows a progressive late enhancement on CT. On MRI it appears as a hypointense mass in T1W images and with a heterogeneous high-intensity in T2W. The MRI-“whorled sign” is described in the reviewed studies in about 80% of patients. The MRI characterization of a primitive retroperitoneal cystic mass should not exclude a cystic evolution from solid masses, and in the case of paravertebral location, the differential diagnosis algorithm should include the hypothesis of ganglioneuroma. In our case, the MRI features could have oriented towards a neurogenic nature, however, the predominantly cystic-fluid aspect and the considerable longitudinal non-invasive extension between retroperitoneal structures, misled us to a lymphatic malformation. In the literature, it is reported that the cystic presentation can be due to a degeneration of a well-known solid form while maintaining a benign character: the distinguishing malignity character is the revelation of immature cells on histological examination. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:43:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4f880c524be648a2a64f7bc4b7013f43 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4418 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:43:55Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diagnostics |
| spelling | doaj.art-4f880c524be648a2a64f7bc4b7013f432023-11-18T16:21:15ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182023-06-011313219010.3390/diagnostics13132190Imaging of Ganglioneuroma: A Literature Review and a Rare Case of Cystic Presentation in an Adolescent GirlGiulia Pacella0Maria Chiara Brunese1Federico Donnarumma2Michele Barrassi3Fabio Bellifemine4Guido Sciaudone5Gianfranco Vallone6Germano Guerra7Giuseppina Sallustio8Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “Vincenzo Tiberio”, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Health Sciences “Vincenzo Tiberio”, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, ItalyFondazione Potito, 86100 Campobasso, ItalyDepartment of Radiology, Cardarelli Hospital, 86100 Campobasso, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Health Sciences “Vincenzo Tiberio”, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Health Sciences “Vincenzo Tiberio”, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Health Sciences “Vincenzo Tiberio”, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Health Sciences “Vincenzo Tiberio”, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, ItalyFondazione Potito, 86100 Campobasso, ItalyRetroperitoneal ganglioneuroma is a rare neuroectodermal tumor with a benign nature. We performed a literature review among 338 studies. We included 9 studies, whose patients underwent CT and/or MRI to characterize a retroperitoneal mass, which was confirmed to be a ganglioneuroma by histologic exam. The most common features of ganglioneuroma are considered to be a solid nature, oval/lobulated shape, and regular margins. The ganglioneuroma shows a progressive late enhancement on CT. On MRI it appears as a hypointense mass in T1W images and with a heterogeneous high-intensity in T2W. The MRI-“whorled sign” is described in the reviewed studies in about 80% of patients. The MRI characterization of a primitive retroperitoneal cystic mass should not exclude a cystic evolution from solid masses, and in the case of paravertebral location, the differential diagnosis algorithm should include the hypothesis of ganglioneuroma. In our case, the MRI features could have oriented towards a neurogenic nature, however, the predominantly cystic-fluid aspect and the considerable longitudinal non-invasive extension between retroperitoneal structures, misled us to a lymphatic malformation. In the literature, it is reported that the cystic presentation can be due to a degeneration of a well-known solid form while maintaining a benign character: the distinguishing malignity character is the revelation of immature cells on histological examination.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/13/2190retroperitoneal masscystic massganglioneuromaCTMRIbackpain |
| spellingShingle | Giulia Pacella Maria Chiara Brunese Federico Donnarumma Michele Barrassi Fabio Bellifemine Guido Sciaudone Gianfranco Vallone Germano Guerra Giuseppina Sallustio Imaging of Ganglioneuroma: A Literature Review and a Rare Case of Cystic Presentation in an Adolescent Girl Diagnostics retroperitoneal mass cystic mass ganglioneuroma CT MRI backpain |
| title | Imaging of Ganglioneuroma: A Literature Review and a Rare Case of Cystic Presentation in an Adolescent Girl |
| title_full | Imaging of Ganglioneuroma: A Literature Review and a Rare Case of Cystic Presentation in an Adolescent Girl |
| title_fullStr | Imaging of Ganglioneuroma: A Literature Review and a Rare Case of Cystic Presentation in an Adolescent Girl |
| title_full_unstemmed | Imaging of Ganglioneuroma: A Literature Review and a Rare Case of Cystic Presentation in an Adolescent Girl |
| title_short | Imaging of Ganglioneuroma: A Literature Review and a Rare Case of Cystic Presentation in an Adolescent Girl |
| title_sort | imaging of ganglioneuroma a literature review and a rare case of cystic presentation in an adolescent girl |
| topic | retroperitoneal mass cystic mass ganglioneuroma CT MRI backpain |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/13/2190 |
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