Experience in the use of an in-house urinary free catecholamine assay for the investigation of possible neural crest tumours in a District General Hospital laboratory is described. Elevated excretion of catecholamines and vanillylmandelic acid was found in a number of cases including phaeochromocytoma and neuroblastoma. These as well as several other situations in which elevated catecholamine and vanillylmandelic acid values were found are discussed.
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