Abstract
Background: Primary hyperparathyroidism is a biochemical, not radiologic diagnosis. Parathyroid scintigraphy should only be requested for surgical planning, not to confirm diagnosis. Here we determined reasons for inappropriately ordered parathyroid scintigraphy. Methods: We generated a database of patients undergoing parathyroid scintigraphy over 5 years, who did not undergo parathyroidectomy. Results: Over 5 years 129 parathyroid scintigraphies (of 308 total scans) were performed in patients who did not undergo parathyroidectomy. We determined that only 58 (45%) had true primary hyperparathyroidism. The most common reason for the scan was to “confirm the diagnosis.” Only 20% were ordered for adenoma localization, although surgery was not performed. Physicians requesting parathyroid scintigraphies specialized in a variety of disciplines. Conclusion: Forty-two percent of parathyroid scintigraphies were requested inappropriately to “confirm” a diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism. We propose to change the ordering system to clarify that parathyroid scintigraphy is a functional tool to optimize surgery when the diagnosis is secure.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 3404-3407 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Head and Neck |
Volume | 43 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2021 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- parathyroid adenoma
- preoperative localization
- primary hyperparathyroidism
- scintigraphy
- secondary hyperparathyroidism
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Otorhinolaryngology