Chromaffin status |
Chromaffin paragangliomas |
Non-chromaffin paragangliomas, often called chemodectomas or glomus tumours |
Location |
Adrenal medulla (most common) |
Head and neck, also upper mediastinum |
Distribution |
Also symmetrically distributed along the prevertebral and paravertebral axis (thoracoabdominal and pelvic paraganglia) |
Found in 20 distinct anatomic locations: carotid body (major paraganglion, the most common tumour location), jugular foramen, Jacobsen tympanic plexus, and vagal and aortic paraganglia (upper mediastinum) |
Hormonal activity |
Usually, but not always, hormonally active (catecholamine producing: noradrenalin, adrenalin, dopamine, l-dopa) |
Hormonally inactive in 95% of cases (only rarely associated with catecholamine production) |