A retroperitoneal bronchogenic cyst: a rare cause of a mass in the adrenal region

Abstract

This report documents a bronchogenic cyst presenting as an adrenal tumour in a 51 year old man with persistent epigastric pain. The cyst is regarded as a developmental abnormality of the primitive foregut, which typically occurs in the chest. Subdiaphragmatic, and retroperitoneal locations in particular, are unusual. The differential diagnosis of a bronchogenic cyst in the retroperitoneum includes cystic teratoma, bronchopulmonary sequestration, cysts of urothelial and mullerian origin, and other foregut cysts.

Figure 1 Computed tomographic scan showing a 5 cm solid mass in the left suprarenal region (arrow) compressing the adrenal gland laterally.

Figure 2 The cyst lining composed of respiratory-type epithelium, underlying lamina propria containing cartilage, and mixed mucous and serous glands (haematoxylin and eosin; original magnification, x400).