Parathyroid ultrasonography

Gray-scale ultrasound was used to evaluate patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. Twenty-one of the 25 parathyroid glands shown pathologically and anatomically to be greater than 5 mm in diameter were identified and varied between 6 and 15 mm. Although the nosological sensitivity was poor, the false-positive rate was low. Important anatomical limitations and pitfalls are described. The role of ultrasonography is compared to that of other noninvasive diagnostic modalities and related to specific clinical situations and surgical approaches.