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Updated: Feb 26, 2026
Establishment of a Simple and Effective Rat Model for Intraoperative Parathyroid Gland Imaging
Published on: August 17, 2022
Ultrasound detection of normal parathyroid glands: a preliminary study
Tae Kwun Ha1, Dong Wook Kim2, Soo Jin Jung3
1Department of General Surgery, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, 47392, South Korea.
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.
