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Peroperative studies of s-calcitonin in thyroid and peripheral venous samples from patients with normal C-cells, C-cell hyperplasia, and medullary carcinoma on the thyroid

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Research in Experimental Medicine

Summary

The calcitonin (Ct) secretion was studied during surgery in 11 patients with benign thyroid and/or parathyroid disorders and in six patients with familial medullary carcinoma of the thyroid (MCT) and C-cell hyperplasia (CCH). The preoperative diagnosis of MCT and CCH was established by S-Ct determinations before and after pentagastrin provocation. During surgery blood samples were collected from thyroid and peripheral veins before and after injection of 0.6µg pentagastrin · kg−1 in the inferior thyroid artery. In the control group the thyroid venous concentration of S-Ct increased from 395 ± 42 pmol · 1−1 to 2,692 ± 462 pmol · 1−1 after intra-arterial (i.a) pentagastrin. The basal value for S-Ct in thyroid venous samples from patients with MCT and CCH was distinctly elevated in five of six patients. After pentagastrin stimulation a very prompt and striking S-Ct peak in thyroid venous samples was demonstrated (range 11,500–2,700,000 pmol · 1−1), which in all cases widely exceeded that in the control group. Varying responses were registered in peripheral vein samples. S-Ct values obtained in the present investigation constitute valuable information for the interpretation of S-Ct values obtained in thyroid venous catheterization studies.

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Supported by grants from the Medical Faculty, University of Lund, the Maggie Stephens Foundation, and the Trygg-Hansa Foundation for Medical Research

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Ericsson, M., Berg, M. & Ingemansson, S. Peroperative studies of s-calcitonin in thyroid and peripheral venous samples from patients with normal C-cells, C-cell hyperplasia, and medullary carcinoma on the thyroid. Res. Exp. Med. 182, 139–147 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01851119

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01851119

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