Intrapericardial nonfunctional paraganglioma: a case report and literature review

Objectives: Paraganglioma (PGL) is a rare extra-adrenal neuroendocrine tumor, and intrapericardial PGL is extremely rare. We report a rare case of intrapericardial nonfunctional PGL, which may be used as a reference for further analysis. Case presentation: This article presents the case of a 65-year-old woman with a 2-year history of lower extremity pain. Ultrasound revealed a hypoechoic mass adjacent to the right atrium, compressing and narrowing the right atrium. Computed tomography (CT) showed a low-density mass with marked enhancement suggestive of a solitary fibrous tumor or a vasogenic tumor of pericardial origin. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed the location and provided a primary diagnosis of solitary fibrous tumor, hemangioma, or hemangiosarcoma. The patient eventually underwent pericardial tumor resection, and the diagnosis of PGL was confirmed by postoperative histopathology. Conclusions: Pathology is considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of PGL. Imaging examinations can provide valuable information for the diagnosis and management of intrapericardial PGL, and surgery remains the treatment of choice.