Intracranial catecholamine secreting paragangliomas.

Three intracranial catecholamine-secreting paragangliomas are described. They involved a glomus jugulare, a sphenopalatine ganglion and the clivus and upper cervical spine respectively. The extent of the tumours was shown by CT and MRI. They were all highly vascular with a substantial blood supply from systemic arteries which was subjected to particulate embolisation, followed in two cases by surgery. The importance of studying any tumour which could possibly be a paraganglioma for hormonal and, especially, for catecholamine secretion prior to any invasive procedure, including angiography and embolisation, is emphasised: all such procedures should be covered with catecholamine blocking agents and, in addition, carefully monitored with resuscitation facilities immediately available.