The catecholamine content of a cystic phaeochromocytoma

We report a case of phaeochromocytoma in which the tumour was a single 10 cm adrenal cyst. The cyst fluid contained noradrenaline and adrenaline in concentrations 100 to 200 fold higher than are seen in the serum of phaeochromocytoma patients. Possibly cystic tumours containing large amounts of catecholamine may if inadvertently compressed at operation, present a greater surgical hazard than solid tumours.