Determination of vanillylmandelic acid, vanillactic acid, and homovanillic acid in dried urine on filter-paper discs by high-performance liquid chromatography with coulometric electrochemical detection for neuroblastoma screening.

We report a method for determination of vanillylmandelic acid, vanillactic acid, and homovanillic acid by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), with coulometric electrochemical detection, for mass screening of neuroblastoma. Urine samples were collected on filter paper, dried, and then pretreated. The chromatographic procedure is reliable and fast, allowing for a large sample throughput for routine screening. Intricate extraction procedures and centrifugal separation are unnecessary. Screening for neuroblastoma by HPLC is rapidly gaining acceptance in Japan, and our method is being used at many screening centers. Of 26,571 infants screened in one year in Yokohama City, our method detected five with neuroblastoma.