Detection and standardization of catecholamines and their metabolites

Catecholamines include dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. The main metabolites are 3-methoxytyramine, normetanephrine, metanephrine,homovanillic acid and vanillylmandelic acid. Detection of catecholamines and their metabolites is the cornerstone for the diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors derived from neural crest such as pheochromocytoma, paraganglioma and neuroblastoma. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry has been widely used in the detection of catecholamines and their metabolites due to its high sensitivity and high specificity. However, the results of liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry in different laboratories are quite different and lack comparability. Accurate determination of catecholamines and their mtabolites in plasma and urine is currently a challenge in the field of clinical detectionbecause of their susceptibility to oxidative degradation, presence of numerous interferences and low concentration in plasma and urine samples. Key words: Catecholamines; Neuroendocrine tumor; Chromatography, liquid; Tandem mass spectrometry