Pheochromocytoma laboratory findings

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ahmad Al Maradni, M.D. [2] Mohammed Abdelwahed M.D[3]

Overview

Laboratory findings consistent with the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma include elevated 24-hour urinary fractionated catecholamines and metanephrines for low-risk patients and plasma fractionated metanephrines for high-risk patients.

Laboratory Findings

An elevated concentration of the following is diagnostic of pheochromocytoma.

  • Elevated 24-hour urine fractionated metanephrines and catecholamines. The cutoff values are: [1]
  • Elevated plasma fractionated metanephrines. The cutoff values are:
    • Metanephrine > 0.3-0.5 nmol/L
    • Normetanephrine > 0.66- 0.9 nmol/L [2] [3]

The following drugs interfere with urinary catecholamines metabolism and shoudl be discontinued two weeks before any hormonal assessments: [5]

  • Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
  • Levodopa
  • Antipsychotics
  • Ethanol
  • Acetaminophen
  • Phenoxybenzamine [6]

Patients with spells of elevated blood pressure (sudden onset of a symptom or symptoms) can be negative in-between spells and should be tested directly after the attacks.[7]

References

  1. Sawka AM, Jaeschke R, Singh RJ, Young WF (2003). "A comparison of biochemical tests for pheochromocytoma: measurement of fractionated plasma metanephrines compared with the combination of 24-hour urinary metanephrines and catecholamines". J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 88 (2): 553–8. doi:10.1210/jc.2002-021251. PMID 12574179.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Lenders JW, Keiser HR, Goldstein DS, Willemsen JJ, Friberg P, Jacobs MC; et al. (1995). "Plasma metanephrines in the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma". Ann Intern Med. 123 (2): 101–9. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-123-2-199507150-00004. PMID 7778821.
  3. Pattarino F, Bouloux PM (1996). "The diagnosis of malignancy in phaeochromocytoma". Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 44 (2): 239–41. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2265.1996.657475.x. PMID 8849581.
  4. Lenders JW, Pacak K, Walther MM, Linehan WM, Mannelli M, Friberg P; et al. (2002). "Biochemical diagnosis of pheochromocytoma: which test is best?". JAMA. 287 (11): 1427–34. PMID 11903030.
  5. Gimenez-Roqueplo AP, Lehnert H, Mannelli M, Neumann H, Opocher G, Maher ER; et al. (2006). "Phaeochromocytoma, new genes and screening strategies". Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 65 (6): 699–705. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.2006.02714.x. PMID 17121518.
  6. Kudva YC, Sawka AM, Young WF (2003). "Clinical review 164: The laboratory diagnosis of adrenal pheochromocytoma: the Mayo Clinic experience". J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 88 (10): 4533–9. doi:10.1210/jc.2003-030720. PMID 14557417.
  7. Young WF, Maddox DE (1995). "Spells: in search of a cause". Mayo Clin Proc. 70 (8): 757–65. PMID 7630214.