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Parathyroid imaging by Tc/TI scintigraphy

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Abstract

Between 1983 and 1988, a total of 22499mTc/201T1 subtraction parathyroid scintigraphy studies were performed in 214 patients (136 women, 78 men, average age 50, ±15 years) with clinical and biochemical signs of hyperparathyroidism. Of the 214 patients, 113 underwent surgical exploration, and 127 benign parathyroid lesions were found, 48 of which were correctly localized by scintigraphy (sensitivity 38%). We detected 30 of 71 adenomas (42%) and 18 of 56 hyperplastic glands (32%). Additionally, the scans localized 2 of 6 parathyroid carcinomas in 5 patients. Overall, 83 parathyroid lesions were missed. There was no significant difference in size between detected and missed lesions. Previous neck surgery (65 of 113 patients) was not a significant detriment to scan sensitivity; but correct detection did depend upon the anatomic site of the lesion: 39% (n=109) were detected in the typical site, 44% (n=9) intrathyroidal, and 11 % (n=9) in the anterior and/or superior mediastinum. In conclusion, these results show only limited value for this99mTc/201T1 subtraction scintigraphy protocol as the initial procedure for localization of abnormal parathyroid tissue prior to surgical exploration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Dirk Sandrock & Ronald D. Neumann

  2. Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Maria J. Merino

  3. Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Jeffrey A. Norton

Authors
  1. Dirk Sandrock
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  2. Maria J. Merino
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  3. Jeffrey A. Norton
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  4. Ronald D. Neumann
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Recipient of a Fogarty Fellowship

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Sandrock, D., Merino, M.J., Norton, J.A. et al. Parathyroid imaging by Tc/TI scintigraphy. Eur J Nucl Med 16, 607–613 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00998157

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00998157

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