Radioguided parathyroidectomy for recurrent parathyroid cancer

We report a case of radioguided parathyroidectomy in a patient with parathyroid carcinoma. A 61-year-old woman presented to our center with persistent hypercalcemia (17.2 mg/dL) and hyperparathyroidism (PTH=324 pg/mL) following her second neck resection for recurrent parathyroid carcinoma at an outside facility. Her elevated serum calcium had not responded to treatment with intravenous bisphosphonates, furosemide, or calcitonin. Calcimemetic therapy (Cinacalcet) was effective but had to be discontinued due to GI intolerance. She requested a second opinion at our center after being referred for palliative radiation therapy for presumed inoperable disease. On presentation, she remained symptomatic with bone and joint pain, diffuse abdominal pain and fatigue. Repeat technetium-99m sestamibi (Tc-99m sestamibi) scintigraphy showed a faint area of uptake near the right clavicular head, adjacent to the site of her previous resections. With the intraoperative guidance of a hand-held gamma probe, a 2 cm recurrent parathyroid carcinoma was located and successfully excised. Intraoperative PTH levels confirmed surgical cure of this previously undetected foci of disease. The use of radioguidance and intraoperative PTH monitoring were the keys to a successful resection, and our patient remains disease free with 17 months of follow-up.