부산대학교 도서관

Studies of the catecholamine metabolism in a patient having a functional ganglioneuroma are reported. Biochemical determinations of catecholamines and metabolites were correlated with histo-chemical and electron microscopic examination of the tumor. Increased urinary excretion of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy mandelic acid, homovanillic acid, and dopamine was found prior to excision of the tumor. There was no significant increase in excretion of normetanephrine-metanephrine or of norepinephrine-epinephrine. Concentration of norepinephrine and epinephrine in the tumor tissue was 0.095 mg/g. This concentration is greater than that found in neuroblastomas, but less than that found in pheochromocytomas. Normetanephrine-metanephrine was detected in the tumor tissue, indicating degradation of norepinephrine by catechol-O-methyl transferase. Computed turnover of norepinephrine in the tumor tissue was 6.85 hours.