The challenge to prove a rare cause of secondary arterial hypertension. A case report of a pediatric renal solitary fibrous tumor.

BACKGROUND

Childhood hypertension is getting more attention in recent years. We present a case report of a rare cause of secondary arterial hypertension in a teenage girl - a solitary fibrous tumor of the kidney. The case demonstrates that standard imaging techniques, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, are not fully reliable in the diagnosis of renovascular hypertension.

CASE

A 15-year old girl was admitted to the Pediatric Department because of episodes of stiffness in the limbs, accompanied by pale skin and lips, dated 4 months back. During these episodes, high blood pressure up to 160/100 mmHg was measured. A 24-hour blood pressure monitoring demonstrated arterial hypertension stage II. Renovascular hypertension was suspected, but the computed tomography examination of the abdomen showed normal-sized renal arteries. In the left kidney hilum, an intraparenchymal formation was discovered. The data presented a non-specific lesion with a wide differential diagnosis. Given the fact that the patient had been treated with an ACE-inhibitor, serum renin level could not be correctly interpreted. The lesion was removed through a laparoscopic intervention. Intraoperatively, the tumor was compressing a small intra-renal vessel - a finding that hadn`t been discovered by the previous imaging studies. The final pathologist diagnosis was: solitary fibrous tumor. During the next six months of follow-up, the maximal blood pressure values of the patient were up to 120/80 mmHg.

CONCLUSIONS

Solitary fibrous tumors of the kidneys are infrequent in children. The presented case displays a rare form of initial clinical manifestation of this tumor. It is also a demonstration that standard imaging techniques are not able to get a precise visualization of the small intra-renal vessels. At the same time, the decision of whether or not to perform a more invasive procedure should be based on the clinical conditions and risks of the individual patient.