Unilateral Surgery for Primary Hyperparathyroidism on the Basis of Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi and Iodine 123 Subtraction Scanning

• Published in: Archives of surgery (Chicago. 1960) Vol. 135; no. 12; pp. 1461 - 1468
• Main Authors: Hindié, Elif, Mellière, Didier, Jeanguillaume, Christian, Ureña, Pablo, deLabriolle-Vaylet, Claire, Perlemuter, Léon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL American Medical Association 01.12.2000
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Endocrine glands. Genital system. Mammary gland; Female; Humans; Hyperparathyroidism - diagnostic imaging; Hyperparathyroidism - surgery; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Iodine Radioisotopes; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Radionuclide Imaging; Radionuclide investigations; Radiopharmaceuticals; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of endocrine glands; Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi; Endocrinopathy; Radionuclide study; Human; Exploration; Parathyroidectomy; Scintigraphy; Decision; Prospective; Subtraction; Treatment; Parathyroid diseases; Surgery; Primary; Unilateral; Medical imagery; Diagnosis; Preoperative; Hyperparathyroidism
• ISSN: 0004-0010; 2168-6254; 1538-3644; 2168-6262
• DOI: 10.1001/archsurg.135.12.1461

HYPOTHESIS Parathyroid scanning, based on simultaneous recording of technetium Tc 99m sestamibi and iodine 123 images, is able to identify patients with multiple parathyroid gland disease and is a safe imaging technique for unilateral parathyroid surgery. DESIGN Scintigraphic criteria of eligibility for unilateral surgery were prospectively tested against findings of conventional bilateral surgery. SETTING Patients referred to an endocrine surgeon in a university hospital. PATIENTS Seventy consecutive patients with primary hyperparathyroidism had dual-isotope scanning before conventional surgery. Forty-one patients had scan findings compatible with unilateral surgery, with a single focus of high intensity seen on the anterior and lateral views. The remaining 29 patients had 1 or more criteria of ineligibility: (1) scan findings pointing to multiple gland disease, (2) no well-identified focus, (3) contralateral thyroid nodule requiring surgical management, or (4) family history of hyperparathyroidism or multiple endocrine disease. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Number of enlarged parathyroid glands at surgical inspection and calcemia follow-up. RESULTS None of the 41 patients, with a single well-defined focus on the scan image, showed evidence of multiple parathyroid involvement. Each parathyroid adenoma was resected from the precise site predicted by the subtraction scan. Nine patients (13%) had surgical findings of multiple parathyroid gland disease. All 9 were ineligible based on preoperative image findings. CONCLUSIONS Unilateral surgery can be safely offered to 60% of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, on the basis of simultaneous 99mTc-sestamibi and 123I scanning. This may reduce the length of the operation, anesthesia requirements, and hospital stay, and the risks of hypoparathyroidism and injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve.Arch Surg. 2000;135:1461-1468-->