Formerly, the conjugated urinary metabolites DHEA, aetiocholanolone, and androsterone were measured collectively as ΓÇÿurinary 17-oxosteroidsΓÇÖ. Although this assay has been used extensively in the past, it is now little employed because of the difficulty of interpretation. Currently, clinical investigations of androgen metabolism are predominantly based on the measurement of plasma androgen levels rather than urinary excretion products.
