[Hyperparathyroidism following cervical irradiation. A case and review of the literature]

A case of hyperparathyroidism in a fifty-four-year-old man, who had had cervical irradiation eighteen years earlier, is reported. Review of the medical literature reveals that the first such case was described in 1975 and that approximately 20.5% of all patients with hyperparathyroidism have had irradiation to the head and/or neck (126 cases were found in the literature). In most instances, patients had irradiation before age twenty. The mean time-interval between irradiation and diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism is 37.5 years. Radiation dose was always above 200 rads. Histologic examination found 71.7% adenomas, 25% hyperplasias, and 3.3% borderline lesions. Antecedent irradiation to the neck should be considered an additional clue to the diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism.