ABSTRACT
The terminology of chromaffin cell tumours is sometimes confusing when pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma are interchangeably used. The term pheochromocytoma should be reserved for chromaffin cell tumours of the adrenal gland, while the term paraganglioma should be used for extra-adrenal chromaffin cell tumours. This distinction is clinically relevant because these tumours not only differ in location but also in clinical presentation, genetic background and malignant potential.
