Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 5, 2025
Establishment of a Simple and Effective Rat Model for Intraoperative Parathyroid Gland Imaging
Published on: August 17, 2022
Novel techniques for intraoperative parathyroid gland identification: a comprehensive review
Amanda Wong1, Jovi C Y Wong1, Prashant U Pandey2
1St. Paul's Hospital Department of Surgery, The University of British Columbia Department of Surgery , Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Introduction:
The parathyroid glands (PGs) are critical for calcium regulation and homeostasis. The preservation of PGs during neck surgery is crucial to avoid postoperative hypoparathyroidism. There are no existing guidelines for intraoperative PG identification, and the current approach relies heavily on the experience of the operating surgeon. A technique that accurately and rapidly identifies PGs would represent a useful intraoperative adjunct.
Areas Covered:
This review aims to assess common dye and fluorescence-based PG imaging techniques and examine their utility for intraoperative PG identification. A literature search of published data on methylene blue (MB), indocyanine green (ICG) angiography, near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF), and the PGs between 1971 and 2020 was conducted on PubMed.
Expert Opinion:
NIRAF and near-infrared (NIR) parathyroid angiography have emerged as promising and reliable techniques for intraoperative PG identification. NIRAF may aid with real-time identification of both normal and diseased PGs and reduce the risk of postoperative complications such as hypocalcemia. Further large prospective multicenter studies should be conducted in thyroid and parathyroid surgical patient populations to confirm the clinical efficacy of these intraoperative NIR-based PG detection techniques.
