Approach to the patient of pheochromocytoma: the diagnosis and treatment

A 34-year-old male patient with suspected pheochromocytoma was referred to our department for paroxysmal hypertension. Pheochromocytoma was confirmed by very high plasma nor-metanephrine ( NMN ) and metanephrine ( MN ). Contrast CT of the adrenal disclosed a 3.0 cm x 3.0 cm mass in the left adrenal. 18 F-FDG-PET-CT showed high uptake only in the left adrenal. When the patient's blood pressure was well controlled with 4 mg/d doxazosin for 2 weeks, surgery was then performed under laparoscopy. A round solid left adrenal pheochromocytoma was resected. After surgery, plasma MN and NMN levels returned to normal, and the patient was free of clinical symptoms with normal blood pressure. This patient has been followed 3 years with normal blood pressure, MN, and NMN levels, without tumor recurrence shown hy adrenal CT. Key words: Pheochromocytoma;  Metanephrine;  Nor-metanephrine