Journals / Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi Tıp Dergisi / 2026 / Volume: 13 Issue: 2

The Importance of Preoperative Imaging in the Management of Ectopic Parathyroid Adenomas

Ektopik Paratiroid Adenomlarında Preoperatif Görüntülemenin Yönetimdeki Önemi

Suat Evirgen(Sabuncuoğlu Şerefeddin Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi)0000-0003-1979-2426
Şirin Çetin(AMASYA ÜNİVERSİTESİ, TIP FAKÜLTESİ, TEMEL TIP BİLİMLERİ BÖLÜMÜ, BİYOİSTATİSTİK ANABİLİM DALI)0000-0001-9878-2554
Yasin Duran(BEYKENT UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE)0000-0003-2290-7255
Çiğdem Tura Bahadır(TOBB ETU hastanesi,Endokrinoloji bilim dalı)0000-0001-6492-3064
Pages
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Publication Date
2026-08-27
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The combined use of cervical ultrasonography and sestamibi scintigraphy/SPECT-CT provides high diagnostic yield, while 4D-CT offers valuable additional information in selected patients.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Ectopic parathyroid adenomas represent a clinically challenging subset of primary hyperparathyroidism, often leading to failed exploration when preoperative localization is inadequate.
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Key Findings & Data:This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of preoperative imaging strategies to surgical planning and outcomes in patients with ectopic parathyroid adenomas.
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Conclusion & Impact:The combined use of cervical ultrasonography and sestamibi scintigraphy/SPECT-CT provides high diagnostic yield, while 4D-CT offers valuable additional information in selected patients.
🔬Design:Review & Systematic Survey
📍Scope:2021 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Parathyroid surgery · Ectopic parathyroid adenoma · Primary hyperparathyroidism

Abstract

Ectopic parathyroid adenomas represent a clinically challenging subset of primary hyperparathyroidism, often leading to failed exploration when preoperative localization is inadequate. This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of preoperative imaging strategies to surgical planning and outcomes in patients with ectopic parathyroid adenomas. A retrospective analysis was performed on patients who underwent parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism at a single tertiary center between January 2021 and March 2024. 16 patients with ectopic parathyroid adenomas were included in this study. Demographic characteristics, biochemical findings, imaging results, surgical approaches, and postoperative outcomes were reviewed. The study cohort consisted of 12 women and 4 men with a mean age of 55 ± 12 years (range, 34–72). Mean preoperative serum calcium and parathyroid hormone levels were 11.8 ± 0.6 mg/dL and 287 ± 95 pg/mL, respectively. All patients underwent cervical ultrasonography (US) and Tc-99m sestamibi scintigraphy combined with SPECT-CT. Sestamibi scintigraphy correctly localized ectopic adenomas in 87.5% of cases (14/16), whereas US was accurate in 50% (8/16). In three patients with negative or equivocal first-line imaging findings, four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) successfully localized the lesions. The most frequent ectopic location was the tracheoesophageal groove (31.25%). Surgical cure was achieved in all patients, and long-term biochemical cure was confirmed at 1-year follow-up, with all patients maintaining normal PTH and calcium levels. No permanent postoperative complications were observed. Accurate preoperative localization plays a pivotal role in the surgical management of ectopic parathyroid adenomas. The combined use of cervical ultrasonography and sestamibi scintigraphy/SPECT-CT provides high diagnostic yield, while 4D-CT offers valuable additional information in selected patients.

Özet

Ektopik paratiroid adenomları, primer hiperparatiroidizmin klinik açıdan zorlayıcı bir alt grubunu temsil eder ve preoperatif lokalizasyonun yetersiz olduğu durumlarda başarısız cerrahi eksplorasyona yol açabilir. Bu çalışma, ektopik paratiroid adenomlu hastalarda preoperatif görüntüleme stratejilerinin cerrahi planlama ve sonuçlara katkısını değerlendirmeyi amaçlamıştır. Ocak 2021 ile Mart 2024 tarihleri arasında üçüncü basamak bir merkezde primer hiperparatiroidizm nedeniyle paratiroidektomi uygulanan hastalar üzerinde retrospektif bir analiz yapılmıştır. Çalışmaya ektopik paratiroid adenomu bulunan 16 hasta dahil edilmiştir. Demografik özellikler, biyokimyasal bulgular, görüntüleme sonuçları, cerrahi yaklaşımlar ve postoperatif sonuçlar incelenmiştir. Çalışma kohortu, yaş ortalaması 55 ± 12 yıl (değişim aralığı, 34–72) olan 12 kadın ve 4 erkek hastadan oluşmuştur. Ortalama preoperatif serum kalsiyum ve paratiroid hormon düzeyleri sırasıyla 11,8 ± 0,6 mg/dL ve 287 ± 95 pg/mL olarak saptanmıştır. Tüm hastalara servikal ultrasonografi (US) ve SPECT-BT ile kombine Tc-99m sestamibi sintigrafisi uygulanmıştır. Sestamibi sintigrafisi, olguların %87,5'inde (14/16) ektopik adenomları doğru şekilde lokalize ederken, US'nin doğruluk oranı %50 (8/16) olarak bulunmuştur. Birinci basamak görüntüleme yöntemlerinin negatif veya şüpheli olduğu üç hastada, dört boyutlu bilgisayarlı tomografi (4D-BT) lezyonları başarıyla lokalize etmiştir. En sık görülen ektopik yerleşim trakeoözofageal oluk (%31,25) olarak belirlenmiştir. Tüm hastalarda cerrahi kür sağlanmış, 1. yıl takibinde tüm hastaların PTH ve kalsiyum düzeylerinin normal aralıkta seyretmesi ile uzun dönem biyokimyasal kür doğrulanmış ve kalıcı postoperatif komplikasyon gözlenmemiştir. Ektopik paratiroid adenomlarının cerrahi yönetiminde doğru preoperatif lokalizasyon kritik bir rol oynamaktadır. Servikal ultrasonografi ile sestamibi sintigrafisi/SPECT-BT'nin birlikte kullanımı yüksek tanısal verim sağlarken, seçilmiş hastalarda 4D-BT ek ve değerli bilgiler sunmaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Evirgen, S., Çetin, Ş., Duran, Y., Bahadır, Ç. T. (2026). The Importance of Preoperative Imaging in the Management of Ectopic Parathyroid Adenomas. Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi Tıp Dergisi, Volume: 13 Issue: 2. https://doi.org/10.47572/muskutd.1886362

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