Urine Catecholamines (Fractionated) Test Price in Bomikhal

Test Description

Urinary fractionated catecholamines and their metabolites (vanillylmandelic acid [VMA], metanephrines, normetanephrines) are the primary biochemical tests for diagnosing pheochromocytoma — a catecholamine-secreting tumor of adrenal medullary chromaffin cells — and paraganglioma (extra-adrenal chromaffin cell tumors). Catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine) are the flight-or-fight stress hormones secreted by the adrenal medulla. Pheochromocytomas autonomously secrete catecholamines, causing episodic or sustained hypertension, headache, palpitations, diaphoresis, and pallor (the classic triad). Current guidelines (Endocrine Society) favor plasma free metanephrines (PMet) as the first-line test over 24-hour urine metanephrines due to superior sensitivity for all pheochromocytoma types (99% vs. 97% for the two respective methods). However, 24-hour urine fractionated metanephrines and catecholamines remain widely used and are preferred when: medications causing false-positive plasma metanephrines (tricyclics, levodopa, acetaminophen, buspirone) cannot be stopped; testing during hypertensive episodes; evaluating dopamine-secreting tumors; and monitoring post-resection recurrence.