Further evidence against the routine use of parathyroid ultrasonography prior to initial neck exploration for hyperparathyroidism.

The role of preoperative localization tests in patients undergoing initial neck exploration for hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is controversial. The use of parathyroid ultrasonography (US) in 46 patients (7 men, 39 women; mean age: 60 years) who underwent initial neck exploration for hypercalcemia and who had the diagnosis of HPT confirmed at surgery is reported. At surgery, a single adenoma was found in 40 patients and multiple hyperplastic glands in 6 patients. Of the 40 adenomas, only 22 (58%) were localized to the correct side by the preoperative US, and only 5 of 18 hyperplastic glands (28%) were correctly localized. The rates of false-positive and false-negative results were 10% and 46%, respectively. The sensitivity of parathyroid US was 54%, the specificity 90%, and the accuracy 70%. The low sensitivity and accuracy and the high rate of false-negative test results that were observed suggest that there is no role for the routine use of parathyroid US in patients undergoing initial neck exploration for HPT.