RECOMMENDED METHODS FOR THE MEASUREMENT O F CATECHOLAMINES AND THEIR METABOLITES IN URINE - SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS FOR DIAGNOSIS AND MONITORING OF PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA AND NEUROBLASTOMA

Laboratory investigation of catecholamines is useful for the clinician in the diagnosis and management of phaeochromocytoma and neuroblastom a. This work summarizes current knowledge on catecholamines and their metabolites and discusses the main indications for their determination . It also examples the most practical methods for studying tile secret ion of these hormones, ie extraction, separation and quantification us ing high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrochemica l detection. The workshops attended by the members of the catecholamin es working party of the French Clinical Biology Society and phaeochrom ocytoma and neuroblastoma specialists enabled the role of such determi nations in the diagnosis and management of these diseases to be clarif ied.