Roentgen technics in the diagnosis and localization of pheochromocytoma.

Abstract

The term pheochromocytoma is Used to designate the relatively rare functioning tumor arising from the chromaffin tissue of the adrenal medulla or from chromaffin tissue elsewhere in the body. Patients may present with either paroxysmal or sustained hypertension and a wide variety of bizarre symptoms. Slightly over 10 per cent of pheochromocytomas are multiple or extra-adrenal. The most frequent sites in such instances are the opposite adrenal, the sympathetic ganglia, and the organs of Zuckerkandl alongside of the terminal portion of the abdominal aorta. Paraganglioma and chromaffinoma are alternate terms used to describe the extra-adrenal tumors, but for the purpose of this discussion all functioning chromaffin tumors, either adrenal or extra-adrenal, producing hypertension and certain associated symptoms will be classified as pheochromocytomas. They are reported occasionally to arise from either normal or ectopic chromaffin tissue in the chest, neck, and bladder (29, 30, 42, 58). Incidence Estimates by ...