huh, is that the most likely diagnosis the doctor gave to your father?
because it is really uncommon. For the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma, he
would need two step tests, first check plasma or 24 hour urine epinephrine
and metanephrine, if elevated, then proceed to the localization, which will
be done by CT scan, if CT scan is negative, then nuclear scan. But according
to what you said, I am not sure whether the first step was done. If not,
then it is very very inapporpriate to jump to CT scan and nuclear scan
because there are many causes of secondary hypertension which need to be
investigated and should be high on the differential diagnosis list.
However, if epinephrine and metanephrine is elevated, and nuclear scan will
be followed after negative CT scan, then you would need to to go
endocrinology clinic and go from there (the endocrinologist may refer you to
other specialities). And your father does not need to get all the workup
done here in the US, it is much cheaper in China. Some hospitals must have
the nuclear reagents for the test.
