A Metastatic Paraganglioma presenting as Multiple Intrapulmonary Nodules

Most of the tumors (85-90%) arise in the adrenal medulla, and the tumors are denoted as pheochromocytomas. Extra-adrenal paragangliomas account for the remaining 10-15% of lesions and can be found in practically every site of the normal paraganglia (1-3). Thoracic paragangliomas constitute only 1-2% of all paragangliomas and the tumors are mostly found in the mediastinal compartment (2). A metastatic paraganglioma is very rare disease that is diagnosed by local recurrence or a distant metastasis after total resection of the primary mass, as in the present case (3, 4). An intrapulmonary paraganglioma, either primary or metastatic, is extremely rare (2-4). This report describes a case of multiple metastatic paragangliomas arising in the parenchyma of both lungs, with a review of the imaging and pathological features.