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Ultrasound detection of normal parathyroid glands: a preliminary study

  • HEAD, NECK AND DENTAL RADIOLOGY
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Abstract

Objective

No previous prospective study has investigated the detection of normal parathyroid glands (PTGs) and their features using real-time ultrasound (US). This study aimed to assess the preoperative US detection of normal PTGs in patients who underwent hemithyroidectomy.

Methods

Between August and October 2016, 44 patients underwent hemithyroidectomy using a low-collar incision, and 5 were excluded from the study. A single radiologist performed the preoperative US examination in all patients, and the surgical data for the PTGs were obtained by a single surgeon. Based on the surgical findings of PTGs, the preoperative US detection of PTGs was determined.

Results

Of the 39 patients, 3 had no surgical data for PTG (n = 2) and the presence of parathyroid hyperplasia (n = 1). In the 36 remaining patients, in 3 patients, US identification of a normal PTG was corroborated by surgical findings, whereas in 2 patients, US findings differed from surgical findings, and in 31 patients, US did not detect a normal PTG. The successful US detection rate of normal PTG was only 8.3% (3/36).

Conclusions

US cannot be used for identification of normal PTGs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Surgery, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, 47392, South Korea

    Tae Kwun Ha

  2. Department of Radiology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, 75, Bokji-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan, 47392, South Korea

    Dong Wook Kim

  3. Department of Pathology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, 47392, South Korea

    Soo Jin Jung

Authors
  1. Tae Kwun Ha
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  2. Dong Wook Kim
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  3. Soo Jin Jung
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Contributions

Concept and design: DWK. Acquisition of data: All authors. Literature review: TKH, DWK. Analysis and interpretation of data: All authors. Manuscript writing: TKH, DWK. Refinement of manuscript: All authors. Review of final manuscript: All authors. Final approval: All authors.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dong Wook Kim.

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Conflict of interest

All authors declare that there are no competing interests.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

The need for informed consent was waived owing to the retrospective nature of the study.

Funding

None.

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Ha, T.K., Kim, D.W. & Jung, S.J. Ultrasound detection of normal parathyroid glands: a preliminary study. Radiol med 122, 866–870 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-017-0792-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-017-0792-0

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