Plasma or Urinary Metanephrines for the Diagnosis of Pheochromocytoma? That Is the Question
Authors: Emmanuel L. Bravo
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1996)

Editorials15 August 1996Plasma or Urinary Metanephrines for the Diagnosis of Pheochromocytoma? That Is the QuestionEmmanuel L. Bravo, MDEmmanuel L. Bravo, MDCleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-125-4-199608150-00012 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Several clinical disorders mimic the signs and symptoms of pheochromocytoma; the definitive diagnosis of this condition thus rests primarily on showing excessive and inappropriate production of catecholamine. Because pheochromocytoma is fatal if undiagnosed, biochemical tests used to detect it should have a high sensitivity. In addition, the predictive value of any negative test result should exclude false-negative results as efficiently as possible. A false-positive result is relatively less important because additional testing (using, for example, clonidine suppression, glucagon stimulation, and imaging techniques) can be done to rule out the disease.In an article recently published in Annals [1], Lenders and ...References1. Lenders JW, Keiser HR, Goldstein DS, Willemsen JJ, Friberg P, Jacobs MC, et al. Plasma metanephrines in the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. Ann Intern Med. 1995; 123:101-9. Google Scholar2. Heron E, Chatellier G, Billaud E, Foos E, Plouin PF. The urinary metanephrine-to-creatinine ratio for the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. Ann Intern Med. 1996; 125:300-3. Google Scholar3. Sullivan JM, Solomon HS. The diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. Overnight excretion of catecholamine metabolites. JAMA. 1975; 231:618-9. Google Scholar4. Kaplan NM, Kramer NJ, Holland OB, Sheps SG, Gomez-Sanchez C. Single-voided urine metanephrine assays in screening for pheochromocytoma. Arch Intern Med. 1977; 137:190-3. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Emmanuel L. Bravo, MDAffiliations: Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195Corresponding Author: Emmanuel L. Bravo, MD, Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Mail Code A101, Cleveland, OH 44195. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoThe Urinary Metanephrine-to-Creatinine Ratio for the Diagnosis of Pheochromocytoma Emmanuel Heron , Gilles Chatellier , Eliane Billaud , Emmanuelle Foos , and Pierre-Francois Plouin Metrics Cited byBiochemical Diagnosis of Pheochromocytoma and ParagangliomaBiomarqueurs en endocrinologieDiagnostic biologique des phéochromocytomes et paragangliomesA systematic review of the literature examining the diagnostic efficacy of measurement of fractionated plasma free metanephrines in the biochemical diagnosis of pheochromocytomaPerioperative management of pheochromocytomaSerum Chromogranin-A Immunoradiometric Assay in the Diagnosis of PheochromocytomaQuantification of Unconjugated Metanephrines in Human Plasma without Interference by AcetaminophenDisappearance Rate of Catecholamines, Total Metanephrines, and Neuropeptide Y from the Plasma of Patients after Resection of PheochromocytomaFree or Total Metanephrines for Diagnosis of Pheochromocytoma: What Is the Difference?KatecholamineEndokrine HypertonieA Five-Year Report on Experience in the Detection of PheochromocytomaDetermination of Plasma MethoxyaminesAdrenal medulla 15 August 1996Volume 125, Issue 4Page: 331-332KeywordsBlood plasmaCatecholaminesChromatographyColorimetric assaysNegative predictive valueOutpatientsPheochromocytomaResearch laboratoriesSigns and symptomsUrine ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 15 August 1996 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1996 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...