All issues > Volume 37(7); 1994

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1994;37(7):961-968. Published online July 15, 1994.

Pheochromocytoma in Children

Tae Sue TS Ha¹, Jae Hong JH Park², Il Soo IS Ha³, Hae Il HI Cheong³, Yong Y Choi³, Hyung Ro HR Moon³, Gui Won GW Park⁴

¹Now in Department of Pediatrics, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea
²Now in Department of Pediatrics, Busan National University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea
³Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
⁴Department of Pediatric Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

We Reviewed 10 hypertensive children with pheochromocytoma retrospectively and the following results were obtained. 1) Out of 10 patients, 7 were male and 3 female. Age ranged from 5.5 years to 13.8 years and their median age was 9.9 years. 2) They complained of sweating, lethargy, headache, or chest pain and so on, Hypertension were noticed in all patients. Heart murmurs were detected in 7 patients and hypertensive retinopathy in 70% 3) The three cases arised at extraadrenal gland and bilaterality was seen in 3 patients. In the view of diagnosis, abdominal sonography, computerized tomography and urine VMA test revealed the sensitivity of 100%.But MIBG scan showed 60% in sensitivity. 4) Waiting for operation, their hypertension were controlled by adrenergic blockers or calcium channel blockers. They received tumorectomy successfully except one who was in hypertensive state after operation and followed up through OPD. In conclusion, high suspicion for the existence of phechromocytoma from the clinical manifestations should be entertained in any pediatric patients and biochemical and imaging studies were mandatory. Furthermore, for the accurate localization of tumors, several imaging studies should be collaborated.

Keywords :Pheochromocytoma, Children