discussion-presentation67

Among patients with adrenal incidentalomas, approximately 5.1% to 6.5%, even up to 23%, proved to have pheochromocytomas. And 10% of adrenal pheochromocytomas have presented as adrenal incidentalomas, even with clinically silent. Pheochromocytomas are rare tumors found in less than 1% of the populations with hypertension. Although the majority of patients are symptomatic, 10-30% of pheochromocytomas are clinically silent
Crout and Sjoerdsm found that pheochromocytomas 50gm. or larger are often asymptomatic because secreted catecholamines are metabolized within the tumor. In contrast, tumors small than 50 gm. have slow turnover rates and release free cateholamines into the circulation, exhibiting persistent symptoms and signs