Abstract
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.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Manger W.M., Gifford R.W. Jr. Pheochromocytoma. Springer-Verlag, New York, 1977.
Shapiro B., Sisson J.C., Lloyd R., Nakajo M., Sattarlee W., Beierwaltes W.H. Malignant pheochromocytoma: clinical, biochemical and scintigraphic characterization. Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf.) 20: 189, 1984.
Mahoney T.M., Harrison J.H. Malignant pheocromocytoma: clinical course and treatment. J. Urol. 118: 225, 1977.
Abrams H.L., Siegelman S.S., Adams D.F., Sanders R., Finberg H.J., Hessel S.J., McNeil B.J. Computed tomography versus ultrasound of the adrenal gland: a prospective study. Radiology 143: 121, 1982.
Stewart B.H., Bravo E.L., Haaga J., Meaney T.F., Tarazi R. Localization of pheochromocytoma by computed tomography. N: Engl. J. Med. 299: 460, 1978.
Sisson J.C., Shapiro B., BeierwaltesCW.H., Glovniak J.V., Nakjo M., Mangner T.J., Carey J.E., Swanson D.P., Copp J.E., Satterlee W.G., Wieland D.M. Radiopharmaceutical treatment of malignant pheochromocytoma. J. Nucl. Med. 25: 1971, 1984.
Allison D.S., Brown M.S., Jones D.H., Timmis J.B. Role of venous sampling in locating a pheochromocytoma. Br. Med. J. 286: 1122, 1983.
Brown M.J., Jenner A. Novel double-isotope technique for the enzymatic assay of plasma catecholamines permitting high precision sensitivity and sample capacity. Clin. Sci. 61: 591, 1981.
Mahoney E.M., Harrison J.H. Malignant pheochromocytoma: clinical course and treatment. J. Urol. 118: 225, 1977.
Kaplan N.M. Clinical hypertension. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore 4 ed. 1986, p. 392.
Hahn L.C., Nadel N.S., Berstein N.M. Localization of pheochromocytoma by computerized axial tomography. J. Urol. 120: 349, 1978.
Ackery D.M., Tippett P.A., Condon B.R., Sutton H.E., Wyeth P. New approach to the localisation of phaeochromocytoma: imaging with iodine-131-iodobenzylguanidine. Br. Med. J. 288: 1587, 1984.
Fischer M, Vetter W., Wintemberg B., Hengstmann J., Zidek W., Friemann J., Vetter H. Scintigraphic localization of phaeochromocytomas. Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf.) 20: 1, 1984.
Older R.A., Moore A.V. Jr., Glenn J.F., Hidalgo H.J. Diagnosis of adrenal disorders. Radiol. Clin. North Am. 22: 433, 1984.
Jones D.H., Allison D.J., Hamilton C.A., Reid J.L. Selective venous sampling in the diagnosis and localization of pheochromocytoma. Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf.) 10: 179, 1979.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pontremoli, R., Borgonovo, G., Ranise, A. et al. Multiple venous sampling for catecholamine assay in the diagnosis of malignant pheochromocytoma. J Endocrinol Invest 12, 647–649 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350026
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350026