MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF CARNEYS TRIAD

Carney's triad, a rare disorder affecting young females, is characteri zed by the presence of at least two of the three following neoplasms: gastric epithelioid leiomyosarcoma, extra-adrenal paraganglioma, and p ulmonary chondroma. Diagnosis and follow-up evaluation of cases of Car ney's triad may require an approach that uses a combination of modalit ies, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), metaiodobenzyl-guanid ine (MIBG)I 131 scintigraphy, and computed tomography. MRI is as effec tive as MIBG scintigraphy in detecting functioning paragangliomas. In the evaluation of suspected cases of Carney's triad in which there is clinical and biochemical evidence of a paraganglioma, MRI is the modal ity of choice for screening and follow-up. We report a case of gastric leiomyosarcoma and extra-adrenal paraganglioma in a young woman whose initial presentation was at 7 years of age. To our knowledge, this is the earliest presentation of this disorder.