Homovanillic Acid, Urine

Last Modified: 2/14/2024 10:12:21 AM


Medical Necessity Documentation:  
Client Notes:  
Patient Preparation: It is preferable for the patient to be off medications for three days prior to collection. However, common antihypertensives (diuretics, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, alpha and beta blockers) cause minimal or no interference. Patient should avoid alcohol, coffee, tea, tobacco and strenuous exercise prior to collection.
Specimen Requirements:  10.0 mL Random Urine in sterile container
Collection Instructions: After urine collection, add 6N HCl to maintain a pH < 3
Minimum Volume: 0.5 mL Urine in Sterile Contatiner
Transport & Storage: Temperature/Stability: 7 days Ambient
2 weeks Refrigerated 
3 months Frozen 
Rejection Criteria: pH >3.0 and unfrozen
Reference Range: Refer to Interpretive Results
Critical Ranges:  
Test Comments:  
Methodology: High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) • Electrochemical Detection
Clinical Significance:

Homovanillic Acid, Random Urine - HVA (Homovanillic Acid) is a metabolite of the biogenic amine, Dopamine. Monitoring of HVA levels is useful in confirming Parkinsonism, monitoring therapeutic responses to L-DOPA treatment, and in combination with VMA determinations, diagnosing persons afflicted with neuroblastoma, pheochromocytoma or other "neural crest" tumors.
Documentation:  
Custom Panel: No

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

Turn Around Time: 3 to 7 days
Days Performed: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Sites Performed: Quest - Chantilly to San Juan Capistrano
PHL Test Code: MSOT
EPIC Test Code: MISC
Send Out Test Code: 6346
Alternate Test Names: Homovanillic Acid (HVA), Random Urine ; HVA, Urine
Included Tests: Creatinine, Homovanillic Acid
CPT Coding: 82570, 83150

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