Under the volcano, or pheochromocytoma revisited

Pheochromocytoma is a well-defined clinical entity often remembered in clinical practice, but seldom encountered. Rather often, however, these patients are initially referred to a cardiologist and then a correct diagnosis is important because this disease is curable and may otherwise be lethal. Somehow clinical signs and symptoms are embedded in a sort of subconscious memory but specific knowledge is rather limited as far as, for example, the pathophysiological background is concerned. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that already in 1922 a syndrome of paroxysmal hypertension associated with an adrenal medullary tumour was reported and that its nature and clinicopathological manifestations were described as early as the 1950s. Nevertheless it is not amiss to shed some new light upon old and established views not only for the better of our patients but as a catalyst for the motivation in search of coherence as well. The patient presented here pairs a very unusual case with unusual features. The pathophysiology is revealed with the closely monitored sequence of events. At a time where the medical professional leans heavily on test results and sophisticated technology it is refreshing to see how basic diagnostic tools pay off in clarifying and understanding as well.