| HVA | <abbreviation> Homovanillic acid. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| HVA test | A test for homovanillic acid based upon the fact that dopamine is present in sympathetic nervous tissue as precursor of norepinephrine; since norepinephrine has a metabolic pathway which yields homovanillic acid, tumours such as neuroblastomas and ganglioneuromas may cause elevations of urinary dopamine and homovanillic acid. Synonym: HVA test. (05 Mar 2000) |