Adult type rhabdomyoma presenting as a parathyroid adenoma.

Abstract

Adult-type rhabdomyoma (ATR) is a rare mesenchymal tumor of skeletal muscle differentiation. Extracardiac ATR occurs most commonly in the head and neck, but do so in a heterogeneous fashion, arising at numerous different locations within this region. At our institution, we encountered a patient who was diagnosed clinically with parathyroid adenoma based on signs and symptoms of hyperparathyroidism and suggestive radiologic findings. A parathyroidectomy with intraoperative consultation was performed. The frozen section diagnosis was ambiguous and a diagnosis of ATR was only made on permanent section. Awareness of this tumor can prevent incorrect diagnosis and overtreatment intraoperatively. Herein, we describe the clinical history, pathologic findings, and review histologic features of rhabdomyomas.