[Importance of parathyroid SPECT and 99mTc scintigraphy, and of clinical, laboratorial, ultrasonographic and citologic correlation in the pre-operative localization of the parathyroid adenoma - pictorial assay].

OBJECTIVE: In patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, candidates for surgical intervention, the parathyroid pre-operative localization is of fundamental importance in planning the appropriate surgical approach.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The additional acquisition of SPECT and Technetium-99m images, during parathyroid scintigraphy with Sestamibi, is not common practice. Usually, only planar image acquisition, 15 minutes prior and 2 hours after radiopharmaceutical administration, is performed.

RESULTS: In our experience, the complete protocol in parathyroid scintigraphy increases the accuracy of pre-operative parathyroid localization.

CONCLUSION: The complete utilization of all available nuclear medicine methods (SPECT e 99mTc) and image interpretation in a multidisciplinary context can improve the accuracy of parathyroid scintigraphy.