[Preoperative diagnosis of suspected pheochromocytoma--retrospective assessment of diagnostic criteria]

Abstract

A retrospective analysis of clinical laboratory and imaging diagnostic criteria of pheochromocytoma was performed over a period of 2 years in 80 patients (17 with surgically proven pheochromocytomas) and yielded the following results: Clinical symptoms are not very characteristic and do not allow the diagnosis. The best diagnostic criterian was the determination of the excretion of norepinephrine and especially of epinephrine in repeated urine samples (90% correct positive, 5% false positive). The diagnostic value of plasma catecholamine concentrations is less because of a wide scatter in both, healthy subjects and patients with pheochromocytoma. The determination of dopamin as well as the clonidintest do not seem to be helpful in the diagnosis. More than 90% of our pheochromocytomas are detected by sonography or computer tomography. The MiBG scans seem to be helpful with, however, some false negative cares.