[Functionally active tumor of the carotid body].

The clinical and biochemical pictures of a woman of 60 suffering from paroxysmal hypertension appeared to be clear evidence of a functionally active neoplasm of the sympathoadrenal tissue. A surgical operation ruled out the possibility of the tumour being localized adrenally so that the actual site of noradrenaline release was never found during the patient's lifetime. An autopsy discovered the presence of a carotid body tumor sized. 4.5X3X3 cm. The histological picture, electron microscopy as well as the positive isolation of noradrenalin all seemed to offer clear evidence of a functionally active tumour although the chromaffin reaction was negative. This is just additional evidence of the fact that the carotid body does belong among sympathetic paraganglia and that the chromaffin reaction is not sufficiently sensitive and reliable either for the determination of biogenic amines in the tissue or for a clear, unequivocal detection of functionally active tumours of the sympathetic.