A patient with primary hyperparathyroidism and an abnormal bone scan.

A patient with primary hyperparathyroidism whose bone scan showed signs of extensive pulmonary and gastric calcifications is described. The patient also had renal insufficiency. A review of the literature and of data of 13 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism who were seen in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University Hospital of Maastricht, led to the conclusion that only in patients with renal insufficiency could ectopic calcifications be expected to occur. Phosphate retention, rather than the hyperphosphaturia that occurs in that particular situation, is cited as the cause.