This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Go to /pro/cpd-dashboard page

This page is worth 0.05 CPD credits. CPD dashboard

Go to /account/subscription-details page

This page is worth 0.05 CPD credits. Upgrade to Pro

VMAs

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Phaeochromocytoma may be diagnosed from the measurement of urinary free catecholamines i.e. adrenaline, noradrenaline, or their metabolites e.g. vanyl-mandelic acid (VMA / HMMA).

Urine catecholamine measurement has a 99.5% specificity and 100% sensitivity in patients with phaeochromocytoma (1). Measurement of catecholamine metabolites e.g. VMA, has a reduced sensitivity.

At least three 24 hour urine collections are necessary as many patients with phaeochromocytoma have intermittently raised levels.

The ingestion of substances containing phenols such as coffee, bananas, and vanilla flavourings, or of drugs such as methyldopa which interfere centrally or peripherally with sympathetic function, is to be avoided in the 24 hours prior to collection.

Twice normal levels are generally considered diagnostic of phaeochromocytoma (1). Levels may be slightly elevated in essential hypertension.

Reference:

  • Foo M et al (1995). Phaeochromocytoma, BJHM, 54(7), 318-22.

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.