Ultrasonically guided fine needle aspiration of suggested enlarged parathyroid glands

Ultrasonically guided fine needle aspiration from 22 ultrasonically suspect enlarged parathyroid glands was performed in 21 consecutive patients with biochemically confirmed hyperparathyroidism. Histologic examination revealed parathyroid tissue in 20 and thyroid tissue in 2 of the 22 ultrasonically suspect parathyroid glands. The aspirated material (21 patients) was analysed for PTH content and compared with the PTH content in aspirates from corresponding thyroid tissue. In all but one, a higher PTH content was found in aspirates from parathyroid glands. Further, the aspirated material (16 patients) was cytologically examined for parathyroid cells. In 10 of 14 histologically confirmed parathyroid glands cells of parathyroid origin were found, but in 4 cases only cells of endocrine origin were seen. The results and the use of fine needle aspiration in relation to the ultrasonic findings are discussed.