Test of urine metanephrine and nor-metan

Metanephrines are made when your body breaks down hormones called catecholamines. These hormones are made by the adrenal glands. Catecholamines help your body respond to stress. They are sometimes called "fight or flight" hormones. They also include epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine.You may need this test if your healthcare provider suspects you have a condition called pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma. These are rare tumors that make extra amounts of catecholamines. Pheochromocytomas are found in the adrenal glands. Paragangliomas are found outside the adrenal glands. Signs and symptoms of pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma include: High blood pressure Paleness Headaches Sweating Heart palpitations Tremors Serious illnesses and stresses can cause moderate to large temporary increases in metanephrines levels.The negative predictive value of the test is relatively good. This means that if metanephrine and normetanephrine concentrations are normal, then it is unlikely that a person has a pheochromocytoma. Reference values Normotensives females Total METANEPHRINE :50-59 years: 164-588 mcg/24 hours Hypertensives: <1,300 mcg/24 hours