Multiple venous sampling for catecholamine assay in the diagnosis of malignant pheochromocytoma.
Malignant pheochromocytoma is a rare cause of hypertension and still has a high mortality rate. The most accurate way to localize a malignant pheochromocytoma is by a combination of scans, both CT and scintigraphy. Selective sampling of venous blood from multiple sites for plasma catecholamine levels is a safe and reliable technique and may be used successfully in some patients. A case is presented where venous sampling proved to be useful in preoperatively localizing a malignant pheochromocytoma and its metastatic lesions which both CT and ultrasound had failed to demonstrate.
Pontremoli
R
R
Cattedra di Nefrologia, Università di Genova, Italy.
Borgonovo
G
G
Ranise
A
A
Garibotto
G
G
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood*; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014680:Veins
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine