Adrenal cavernous hemangioma misdiagnosed as pheochromocytoma: a case report

BACKGROUND: Adrenal hemangioma is a rare benign adrenal tumor that is usually misdiagnosed preoperatively. We here present a case of adrenal cavernous hemangioma that was successfully treated with retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 67-year-old man with dull right back pain attended our clinic for examination of a mass on the right adrenal gland for 1 week. Pheochromocytoma was considered according to the preoperative computed tomography angiography + computed tomography urography findings and was subsequently corrected to adrenal gland hemangioma according to postoperative pathological findings. The patient showed no recurrence of adrenal hemangioma during the 1-year follow-up period after surgery. CONCLUSION: Adrenal gland hemangioma is rare with a high rate of misdiagnosis, and it should be considered in imaging findings of adrenal tumors with typical hemangioma. Surgery is an effective treatment method. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12893-021-01195-2.