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Comparative values of catecholamines and metabolites for the diagnosis of neuroblastoma

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Abstract

In order to diagnose neuroblastomas, we assayed the three adrenal hormones and five of their metabolites by high-performance liquid chromatography followed by electrochemical detection in urine samples of 395 children with tumours of unknown nature (including 29 neuroblastomas). The analytes (expressed as analyte/creatinine ratios) performances were determined by calculating the related sensitivity and specificity and receiver operating characteristics curves within the different age groups. Normetanephrine (NME), vanillylmandelic and homovanillic acids (VMA, HVA) were the best analytes. Calculated optimal thresholds (best specificity/sensitivity couples) of these analytes minimised the number of false-positive diagnosis. Conclusion: combined determination of normetanephrine with vanillylmandelic acid (0–1 year) or homovanillic acid (1–5 years and 5–10 years) further enhanced the diagnostic power up to 100% sensitivity and specificity of the testing depending on the age group. Plotting individual levels (normetanephrine versus vanillylmandelic acid or homovanillic acid) allowed a rapid visual analysis that would have missed only one small low grade non-secreting tumour.

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Abbreviations

DA:

dopamine

HPLC/ED:

high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

HVA:

homovanillinic acid

MDA:

methoxydopamine

ME:

metanephrine

NME:

normetanephrine

ROC:

receiver operating characteristic

VMA:

vanillylmandelic acid

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Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to Mrs Bosc, Mrs Martinez, and Mrs Rumeau for their expertise and Dr Fougère for his help.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Médecine Nucléaire, Hôpital Haut-Lévèque, 33604, Pessac, France

    Maud Monsaingeon, Guy Simonnet & Jean-Benoît Corcuff

  2. Department of Paediatric Oncology, Hôpital Pellegrin, Bordeaux, France

    Yves Perel

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  1. Maud Monsaingeon
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  2. Yves Perel
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  3. Guy Simonnet
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  4. Jean-Benoît Corcuff
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Correspondence to Jean-Benoît Corcuff.

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Monsaingeon, M., Perel, Y., Simonnet, G. et al. Comparative values of catecholamines and metabolites for the diagnosis of neuroblastoma. Eur J Pediatr 162, 397–402 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-003-1175-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-003-1175-1

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