Pitfalls

Although the disease is rare and can present in a wide variety of ways, there are several markers that should alert the clinician to the potential diagnosis
Autopsy studies have shown that phaeochromocytoma is first diagnosed at post mortem in about 50% of cases. Missing the diagnosis can deprive the patient of curative surgery
Not all adrenal masses or elevations of catecholamines levels are due to phaeochromocytoma