Comparison and histopathological correlation of three parathyroid imaging methods in a population with a high prevalence of concomitant thyroid diseases

Abstract

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of a technetium-99m sestamibi dual-phase protocol enhanced by single-photon emission tomography (SPET) and semiquantitative analysis in comparison to established preoperative staging procedures in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. Twenty-eight (50%) out of 56 patients had superimposed thyroid disease, and 12 patients had previously undergone neck surgery. Visual and semiquantitative analysis of planar 99mTc-sestamibi dual-phase imaging, SPET of the delayed phase, ultrasonography, and thallium-201 chloride-technetium-99m pertechnetate subtraction scintigraphy was further correlated with the histopathological examination of the surgical specimens. 99mTc-sestamibi dual-phase imaging achieved the highest sensitivity for side localization and precise localization compared with 201Tl-99mTc subtraction scintigraphy and ultrasonography, but the differences reached statistical significance only in comparison to ultrasonsography. Semiquantitative analysis did not enhance sensitivity. Adenoma detection by 99mTc-sestamibi dual-phase imaging was only correlated to serum calcium levels and osteocalcin, not to cell density or oxyphil cell count (SPET yielded additional information for the exact topographical localization of the parathyroid tumour in 22 (39%) patients with superimposed thyroid disease or previous neck surgery but did not enhance the overall detection rate.