Open Access

RESIDENT’S CORNER

Pheochromocytoma arising in the setting of adrenal–renal fusion

Spyridon P. Basourakos¹, Lucas Dean², James Van Gurp³, Victor Reuter³, Paul Russo²

1 Department of Urology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
2 Urology Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
3 Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
Address correspondence to Dr. Paul Russo, Urology Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 USA

Canadian Journal of Urology 2019, 26(5), 9952-9955.

Abstract

Adrenal–renal fusion is an anomaly misclassified as a renal tumor due to the absence of pathognomonic radiographic features. Herein, we report a case of a 61-year-old male who underwent a right radical nephrectomy for a presumed renal malignancy. Pathologic evaluation demonstrated a pheochromocytoma in the context of adrenal–renal fusion. Neoplastic transformation of fused adrenal tissue is rare but not unheard of and is typically adrenal cortical in origin. To our knowledge, this is the first description of a pheochromocytoma originating from an adrenal–renal fusion. The clinical presentation did not raise a high index of suspicion for the ultimate diagnosis rendered.

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Keywords

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