Parathyroid imaging: technique and role in the preoperative evaluation of primary hyperparathyroidism.

OBJECTIVE

This article discusses the commonly used techniques for imaging the parathyroid glands and their role in the preoperative evaluation of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

CONCLUSION

The importance of sonography and sestamibi scintigraphy in the preoperative evaluation of patients with primary hyperthyroidism has increased with the adoption of minimally invasive parathyroidectomy techniques at most medical centers. When the results of these studies are concordant, the cure rates of minimally invasive surgery equal those of traditional bilateral neck exploration.