[Pathology of parathyroid glands: Practical aspects for routine pathological investigations]

The diagnostic histopathology of parathyroid glands comprises mostly benign diseases associated with primary, secondary and rarely tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Parathyroid adenoma and hyperplasia are the most common diagnoses, whereas parathyroid carcinomas and atypical adenomas are exceptional causes of hyperparathyroidism, the latter being purely a diagnosis by exclusion. This article deals with the major histopathological criteria of the various diagnoses with special emphasis on the clinical manifestation.