Metastatic calcification in a patient with malignant parathyroid carcinoma. Correlation of clinical, surgical, radiographic, and scintigraphic findings.

A patient whose bone scan showed features typical of a "superscan," having extensive pulmonary, cardiac, and renal calcifications is described. Metastatic parathyroid carcinoma with renal insufficiency and phosphate retention are cited as the cause. Early diagnosis and surgical extirpation offer the best chance for cure or palliation. Pitfalls of plain film radiography in identifying metastases and pathologic soft tissue calcifications in the setting of severe hyperparathyroidism are discussed, and the advantages of functional radionuclide imaging assessments are emphasized.