Surprise Diagnosis of a Lumbar Mass: Cytological Diagnosis of Retroperitoneal Ganglioneuroma in a Rare Presentation

Ganglioneuromas (GNs) are the rare benign tumors belonging to the spectrum of the neuroblastic tumors and can be found anywhere across the distribution of the sympathetic nervous system, including the retroperitoneum. The majority of retroperitoneal GNs are asymptomatic and are diagnosed incidentally. We present a case of a retroperitoneal GN presenting as a palpable lumbar swelling, scoliosis, and inability to walk in a 6-year-old child, diagnosed on fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and confirmed on histopathology. This case report discusses the rare presentation and challenges in FNAC diagnosis of these lesions.