Misdiagnosis of Pheochromocytoma
Alternative diagnoses list for Pheochromocytoma:
For a diagnosis of Pheochromocytoma,
the following list of conditions
have been mentioned in sources
as possible alternative diagnoses
to consider during the diagnostic process for Pheochromocytoma:
Diseases for which Pheochromocytoma may be an alternative diagnosis
The other diseases for which Pheochromocytoma
is listed as a possible alternative
diagnosis in their lists include:
Pheochromocytoma: Hidden Causes Misdiagnosed?
Causes of Pheochromocytoma may include these medical conditions:
Pheochromocytoma Diagnosis: Book Excerpts
Pheochromocytoma: Medical Mistakes
Related medical mistakes may include:
Pheochromocytoma: Undiagnosed Conditions
Commonly undiagnosed conditions in related areas may include:
Common Misdiagnoses and Pheochromocytoma
Rare cancer hidden cause of panic symptoms: The rare cancer pheochromocytoma, an adrenal tumor, can initially
have symptoms similar to panic disorder.
Its symptoms may include anxiety, panic, sweating, increased heart rate, and other symptoms.
See the overview of pheochromocytoma.
Undiagnosed stroke leads to misdiagnosed aphasia: BBC News UK reported on a man who
had been institutionalized and treated for mental illness
because he suffered from sudden inability to speak.
This was initially misdiagnosed as a "nervous breakdown" and other mental conditions.
He was later diagnosed as having had a stroke, and suffering from aphasia (inability to speak),
a well-known complication of stroke (or other brain conditions).
Dementia may be a drug interaction: A common scenario in aged care is for
a patient to show mental decline to dementia.
Whereas this can, of course, occur due to various medical conditions,
such as a stroke or Alzheimer's disease,
it can also occur from a side effect or interaction between multiple drugs
that the elderly patient may be taking.
There are also various other possible causes of dementia.
Spitz nevi misdiagnosed as dangerous melanoma skin cancer: One possible misdiagnosis to
consider in lieu of melanoma is spitz nevi.
See melanoma and spitz nevi.
Mild traumatic brain injury often remains undiagnosed: Although the symptoms
of severe brain injury are hard to miss,
it is less clear for milder injuries, or even those causing a mild concussion diagnosis.
The condition goes by the name of "mild traumatic brain injury" (MTBI).
MTBI symptoms can be mild, and can continue for days or weeks after the injury.
See the symptoms of MTBI or misdiagnosis of MTBI.
MTBI misdiagnosed as balance problem: When a person has symptoms
such as vertigo or dizziness, a diagnosis of brain injury may go overlooked.
This is particularly true of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), for which the
symptoms are typically mild. The symptoms has also relate to a relatively
mild brain injury (e.g. fall), that could have occurred days or even weeks ago.
Vestibular dysfunction, causing vertigo-like symptoms, is a common complication
of mild brain injury.
See causes of dizziness, causes of vertigo, or misdiagnosis of MTBI.
Brain pressure condition often misdiagnosed as dementia: A condition
that results from an excessive pressure of CSF within the brain is often misdiagnosed.
It may be misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease or dementia (such as Alzheimer's disease).
The condition is called "Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus" (NPH) and is caused by having
too much CSF, i.e. too much "fluid on the brain".
One study suggested that 1 in 20 diagnoses of dementia or Parkinson's disease were actually NPH.
See misdiagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or misdiagnosis of Parkinson's disease.
Post-concussive brain injury often misdiagnosed: A study found that soldiers who had
suffered a concussive injury in battle often were misdiagnosed on their return.
A variety of symptoms can occur in post-concussion syndrome and these were not being correctly
attributed to their concussion injury.
See introduction to concussion.
Children with migraine often misdiagnosed: A migraine often fails to be
correctly diagnosed in pediatric patients.
These patients are not the typical migraine sufferers, but migraines can also occur in children.
See misdiagnosis of migraine or introduction to migraine.
Pheochromocytoma can mimic an anxiety attack: Pheochromocytoma is a tumour of the adrenal
glands which secretes excessive amounts of catecholamines such as epinephrine
and nor-epinephrine. It usually occurs in young patients and is not an easily diagnosed
as it is usually mistaken for an anxiety attack, essential hypertension or a case
of hyperthyroidism. The patient usually presents with symptoms of sympathetic
overactivity which leads to symptoms such as palpitation, anxiety, increased heart
rate, headache and most importantly orthostatic hypotension etc. It is also
associated with genetic syndromes such as multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes.
Early diagnosis is needed so that the tumour can be excised surgically.
Pitfalls in diagnosing palpitations: The symptom of palpitations is suggestive of cardiac arrhythmia but may have a non- cardiac cause. Palpitations not related to emotion, fever and exercise suggest an arrhythmia. There are many pitfalls in the diagnosis and mangaemnet of arrhythmias especially in the elderly where symptoms of infection can be masked. Palpitations associated with menopause maybe overlooked. Valvular lesions usually associated with rheumatic heart disease such as mitral stenosis and aortic incompetence may cause palpitations. The rare tumour, pheochromocytoma, presents with palpitations and postural tachycardia. The toxin from tick bites in dermatomes T!- 5 can also cause palpitations.
Pheochromocytoma: Rare Types
Rare types of medical disorders and diseases in related medical areas:
- Brain & Neurological Disorders: Rare Types:
- Women's Reproductive Health -- rare types of diseases:
- more rare diseases...»
General Misdiagnosis Articles
Read these general articles with an overview of misdiagnosis issues.
About misdiagnosis:
When checking for a misdiagnosis of Pheochromocytoma
or confirming a diagnosis of Pheochromocytoma,
it is useful to consider what other
medical conditions might be possible misdiagnoses or other alternative
conditions relevant to diagnosis.
These alternate diagnoses of Pheochromocytoma may already have
been considered by your doctor or may need to be considered as possible
alternative diagnoses or candidates for misdiagnosis of Pheochromocytoma.
For a general overview of misdiagnosis issues for all diseases,
see Overview of Misdiagnosis.
What causes cancer and why is it so hard to treat? Leading experts provide an overview of cancer, from what goes wrong in a cell's genetic...
It's long been known that diabetes often goes hand-in-hand with high blood pressure. But many of the 11 million Americans that have both...
Hypertensive patients worry about which medications are safe to take, including erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs. Find out how ED medication affects...
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular conditions. Fortunately, it can be...
See full list of 5 related videos
» Next page: Undiagnosed Pheochromocytoma
Rate This Website
What do you think about the features of this website?
Take our user survey and have your say:
Website User Survey
Medical Tools & Articles:
Next articles:
Tools & Services:
Medical Articles:
Forums & Message Boards
- Ask or answer a question at the Boards:
