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This article discusses a rare case of retroperitoneal paraganglioma, a type of tumor that affects the retroperitoneum, which is the area behind the abdominal cavity. The patient, a 55-year-old male, presented with intense abdominal pain and high blood pressure. Diagnostic tests, including ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and 18-F-DOPA PET-CT scans, confirmed the presence of the tumor. The patient underwent surgery and had a favorable outcome. The article emphasizes the importance of recognizing the diverse manifestations of retroperitoneal paragangliomas for accurate diagnosis and treatment. [Extracted from the article]

We have carefully read the interesting article recently published in your journal about a giant sigmoid diverticulum. In our institution we have diagnosed two similar cases and we would like to contribute our casuistry.

Purpose : To depict the characteristics of a special type of gastric volvulus caused by acute re-herniation of a previous hiatal hernia. Materials and methods : We present the case of a male patient with known history of a giant hiatal hernia who presented to our emergency department with a chief complaint of epigastric pain, oral intolerance and incoercible vomiting in the last 24 h. On suspicion of abdominal complication, an emergent computed tomography (CT) scan was performed. Results : Gastric volvulus secondary to downward re-herniation of the fundus into the abdominal cavity was the cause of this patient's symptoms. This mechanism, which was demonstrated by comparing the CT findings of the acute episode with previous imaging studies, reveals a largely unrecognized pathogenic mechanism of gastric volvulus. Conclusions : Acute gastric volvulus should be suspected in patients with hiatal hernia. CT allows its diagnosis and likely underlying pathophysiological mechanism.

Background: Gastric volvulus (GV) is a life-threatening emergency condition that prompts emergent surgical management. With the advent of high-resolution computed tomography (CT), the role of radiologists in its diagnosis has become essential. Although many cases of GV have been described in the literature, its pathophysiology is still poorly understood. In addition, there is substantial terminological confusion with associated entities such as paraesophageal hernia, upside-down stomach, organo-axial or chronic GV., Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of clinical, radiological findings and other relevant data for seven patients with previous radiological diagnoses of a large hiatus hernia who presented with acute GV to the emergency department of our institution. We report data on age, sex, medical history, clinical presentation, imaging, treatment and outcomes for each case., Results: The CT findings at acute presentation showed the antrum lying above the diaphragm and dilated fundus below the diaphragm. By comparing the position of the stomach at acute presentation with previous imaging examinations, we confirmed a hypothesis put forward by a few authors decades ago that re-herniation of the gastric fundus into the abdomen is a common pathophysiologic trigger leading to acute GV. This hypothesis has not been supported by modern imaging examinations., Conclusions: We have provided imaging evidence supporting that the pathophysiology of many GVs is based on caudal re-descent of hiatal hernia into the abdominal cavity. Given the terminological disparity used in the literature in this context, we believe it appropriate to introduce and extend the term 'back-and-forth stomach' to refer to this type of GV.

Primary malignant tumors of the heart are a rare condition. The most common type is the cardiac angiosarcoma. The symptoms of this disease are very nonspecific and can be very difficult to diagnose by conventional imaging techniques. We report the case of a male patient with cardiac angiosarcoma who also had a rare complication, this being cardiac rupture, which required the use of (18)F-FDG PET-CT to demonstrate the mass malignancy and to reach a definitive diagnosis., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. and SEMNIM. All rights reserved.)

We present a case of extraskeletal osteosarcoma arising from the root of the mesentery. This location is extremely rare; to our knowledge only three other cases have been reported. We describe the findings at computed tomography, positron emission tomography, and bone scintigraphy. We emphasize the radiologic differential diagnosis in this case, which was complicated by the presence of other malignant abdominal disease., (Copyright © 2010 SERAM. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: We report the cases of three patients with primary renal lymphoma. Diagnosis and subsequent treatment are discussed., Methods: The literature on the origin, epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of primary renal lymphoma was reviewed., Results: The first patient was diagnosed after radical nephrectomy and subsequently was given six cycles of CVP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone). The diagnosis of the second patient was established by renal biopsy, and the patient received six cycles of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine and predisone). The last patient had a lymphoma, secondary to immunosuppression, in a transplanted kidney. In this case transplant nephrectomy sufficed to cure the patient's lymphoma. All patients had B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (an extrarenal origin was ruled out by bone marrow biopsy), and were disease-free 15 months, 7 months, and 6.5 years after diagnosis, respectively., Conclusions: Primary renal lymphoma is rare. Diagnosis is established by renal biopsy, although it often presents as a mass simulating renal cell cancer and diagnosis is obtained after radical nephrectomy. Treatment consists of chemotherapy (CHOP). associated with rituximab.

Primary lymphoma of the esophagus is very rare; it affects less than 1% of all patients with gastrointestinal lymphoma. We present a case of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)-type primary lymphoma of the esophagus that manifested as a large ulcerated submucosal mass. We describe the radiological findings on the esophagram, endoscopic ultrasonography, and helical computed tomography. To our knowledge, only 10 cases of MALT-type primary lymphoma of the esophagus have been published to date.

Background: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the clinical presentation and the computed tomographic (CT) and ultrasound (US) findings in six episodes of hepatosplenic brucelloma in five patients., Methods: In four episodes, the diagnosis was based on clinical history, serology, and characteristic imaging findings. In the other two episodes in the same patient, the diagnosis was suspected after a biopsy was taken. CT was performed in all six cases and US in five., Results: On US, brucellomas were iso- or hypoechogenic with the liver. Hyperechogenic masses were seen in one patient. Brucellomas were very poorly defined and contained small scattered cystic areas. All lesions showed central or marginal gross focal calcification, except multiple lesions in one patient. Contrast-enhanced CT showed predominantly solid masses with irregular borders and fine or thick enhancing trabeculations separating hypodense solid areas and/or small cystic areas. Two patients showed transdiaphragmatic lung invasion by brucelloma, a complication not previously published., Conclusion: In regions where brucellosis is endemic, brucelloma should be included in the differential diagnosis if a hepatic or splenic mass with irregular borders and central or marginal gross focal calcification is detected, and contrast-enhanced CT shows enhancing trabeculations that separate hypodense solid areas and/or small liquid collections.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is a rare sequela to an acute untreated or recurrent pulmonary embolism. The mechanisms that underlie the failure to resolve the thrombus are still uncertain. As most patients are not diagnosed until a relatively late stage, little is known about the course of their illness. We report the case of a 51-year-old woman who had previously been diagnosed with and operated on for endomyocardial fibrosis of the right ventricle and who developed chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension several years later.

Objective: We report three cases of pelvic lipomatosis, and from them we discuss its diagnostic and therapeutic considerations., Methods/results: Three patients, 71, 65 and 61 years old respectively, presented with irritative lower urinary tract symptoms. Intravenous pyelogram (IVP) and CT scan were performed as diagnostic procedures. After diagnosis an endoscopic evaluation including biopsies was performed to rule out tumours. All three underwent Bricker-Wallace II type urinary diversion resulting in good control of irritative symptoms. During follow-up one patient presented with an infiltrative bladder tumour., Conclusion: Pelvic lipomatosis is a rare disease; although traditionally has been considered benign it can result in urinary tract obstruction with severe physiopathological consequences. IVU and CT-scan are valuable to confirm the diagnosis. Lower urinary tract symptoms are controlled with urinary diversion without cystectomy but potential malignization of the bladder lesions should make us reconsider treatment.