Actual role of color-doppler high-resolution neck ultrasonography in primary hyperparathyroidism: a clinical review and an observational study with a comparison of 99m Tc-sestamibi parathyroid scintigraphy.

PURPOSE: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a frequent endocrine pathology that has surgical treatment as its only decisive measure. High-Resolution Neck Ultrasonography with color-Doppler (CDHR-NUS) and 99m Technetium-SestaMIBI Parathyroid Scintigraphy (99m Tc-MIBI PS) are the two instrumental exams more commonly used in the preoperatory localization of pathologic parathyroids. The aim of this observational study was to outline-in accordance with the latest scientific literature-the precise role of CDHR-NUS in the environment of PHPT, comparing it with that of Parathyroid Scintigraphy.

METHODS: 136 patients operated on for PHPT and underwent CDHR-NUS and 99m Tc-MIBI PS preoperatively. The CDHR-NUS was carried out by an expert medical sonographer. The results of the two methods were compared between each other and with the results of the operative act for the evaluation of accordance and diagnostic performances.

RESULTS: PHPT is prevalently due to monoglandular pathology (SGD). The parallel use of CDHR-NUS and of 99m Tc-MIBI PS does not determine a significant increase in diagnostic accuracy. The preoperative accordance evaluation between the two methods does not exclude the presence of multiglandular pathology (MGD) with certainty.

CONCLUSIONS: CDHR-NUS is an accurate as well as cost-effective method; its role as a main and eventual unique preoperative localization method in patients affected by PHPT is confirmed. In the presence of expert medical sonographers, the sequential use of the two methods is retained correct and their use in parallel is neither justified nor cost-effective. The preoperative accordance evaluation between the two methods is neither necessary nor indispensable.