الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
There is a broad spectrum of neurogenic tumors that involve the
abdomen. These tumors can be classified as being of ganglion cell
origin (ganglioneuromas, ganglioneuroblastomas, neuroblastomas),
paraganglionic system origin (pheochromocytomas, paragangliomas),
or nerve sheath origin (neurilemmomas, neurofibromas,
neurofibromatosis, malignant nerve sheath tumors). Abdominal
neurogenic tumors usually follow the distribution of the sympathetic
ganglia along paraspinal areas or arise from the adrenal medulla or
the organ of Zuckerkandl.
Occasionally, however, other sites in the abdomen such as urinary
bladder, bowel wall and gallbladder can be involved. The urinary
bladder is an unusual site of involvement because the trigone of the
bladder contains cells of neural crest origin. The optimal treatment
for abdominal neurogenic tumors is surgical removal when they are
localized with no evidence of distant metastasis. Recently,
laparoscopic surgery has been used. Thus, accurate preoperative
localization and characterization of neurogenic tumor is important in
allowing a direct surgical approach. Although all neurogenic tumors
have almost similar clinical and radiologic findings, predominant or
specific features are present in each type. In this essay, we describe
and illustrate the clinical and imaging features of abdominal
neurogenic tumors that can suggest a specific diagnosis or help
substantially narrow the differential diagnosis.