Gas chromatographic determination of urinary vanilglycolic acid, vanilglycol, vanilacetic acid and vanillactic acid-chemical parameters for the diagnosis of neurogenic tumours and the evaluation of their treatment.

A gas chromatographic method is described for the determination of urinary vanilglycolic acid, vanilglycol, vanilacetic acid and vanillactic acid as their trimethylsilyl derivatives. These metabolites are chemical parameters for the dignosis of neurogenic tumours. Their determination is especially recommended in order to evaluate the effect of the therapy. Results in normals and controls are given. Data in a number of selected patients with neuroblastoma, ganglioneuroma and phaeochromocytoma are presented and discussed.