[Parathyroid selective venous sampling]

It is important to localize the site of abnormal parathyroid glands in treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism. Selective venous sampling with parathyroid hormone assay is one of the methods for localization of adenoma or hyperplasia in primary hyperparathyroidism. Since Reitz first described it in 1969, it has been improved during the last two decades and there is a high sensitivity (70-80%). Especially in those cases, localization is unknown in imaging methods, the first operation fails or the patients has previously been explored in the neck, venous sampling becomes a very useful method. How to perform, indication, performance, strengths and weakness of selective venous sampling is described here.