Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma are catecholamine-secreting neuroendocrine tumors that arise from chromaffin cells of the adrenal glands and paraganglia. In the absence of timely diagnosis and treatment, overproduction of catecholamines by these tumors can have devastating consequences. Biochemical confirmation of excessive catecholamines and their metabolites is essential for the definitive diagnosis of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma and proper patient management. This chapter reviews catecholamine biology, biochemical phenotypes, choice of biochemical tests, analytical methods, sampling, storage, and interpretation of the results.
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