Quantitative comparison of technetium-99m tetrofosmin and thallium-201 images of the thyroid and abnormal parathyroid glands.
The aim of the study was to quantitatively compare the scintigraphic images of the thyroid and abnormal parathyroid glands obtained with technetium-99m tetrofosmin and thallium-201 in patients with hyperparathyroidism. Forty-six patients with hyperparathyroidism underwent (201)Tl (74 MBq), (99m)Tc-pertechnetate (74 MBq) and (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin (555-740 MBq) scintigraphy in a single session. Image analysis included the computation of the thyroid/background ratio in the whole study population and the parathyroid/background ratio, parathyroid/thyroid ratio and diagnostic sensitivity in 17 patients who underwent parathyroid surgery. The pertechnetate subtraction technique was used. (201)Tl and (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin showed a similar thyroid/background ratio (1.79+/-0.41 and 1.81+/-0. 47, respectively, P=NS); however, (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin showed a higher parathyroid/background ratio than (201)Tl (2.06+/-0.54 vs 1. 79+/- 0.50, P=0.007). Despite the superior quality of (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin images, both tracers showed identical sensitivity in detecting enlarged parathyroid glands in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (89%) and in those with secondary hyperparathyroidism (50%).
Giordano
A
A
Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Largo A. Gemelli 8, I-00168 Roma, Italy.
Marozzi
P
P
Meduri
G
G
Ficola
U
U
Calcagni
M L
ML
Vaccaro
A
A
Rubini
G
G
Attard
M
M
Li Puma
M
M
Ricci
R
R
Corsello
S
S
D000236:Adenoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006961:Hyperparathyroidism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006962:Hyperparathyroidism, Secondary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010280:Parathyroid Glands / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010282:Parathyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes; C078700:technetium tc-99m tetrofosmin; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m