Role of 99mTc-sestamibi SPECT in accurate selection of primary hyperparathyroid patients for minimally invasive radio-guided surgery.
OBJECTIVE
A prerequisite for optimum minimally invasive radio-guided surgery (MIRS) for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is the demonstration of significant uptake of (99m)Tc-sestamibi in a parathyroid adenoma (PA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical role or (99m)Tc-sestamibi SPECT in selecting patients for this procedure.


METHODS
Fifty-four consecutive PHPT patients were evaluated by single-session (99m)Tc-pertechnetate/(99m)Tc-sestamibi planar subtraction scintigraphy, followed by (99m)Tc-sestamibi SPECT acquisition to localise hyperfunctioning PAs and assist in planning the surgical approach.


RESULTS
Scintigraphy showed the presence of a solitary PA in 47/54 patients (87%) and two or more PAs in four patients (7.4%); it was negative in the remaining three patients (5.6%). The overall sensitivity of (99m)Tc-sestamibi scintigraphy was 94.6%. In 7/54 patients, the PA was located deep in the para-oesophageal/paratracheal space. So far, 22 patients with scintigraphic evidence of a solitary PA (in four of whom the PA was located deep in the neck) have undergone successful MIRS using the low 37 MBq (1 mCi) (99m)Tc-sestamibi dose protocol. Intraoperative quick parathyroid hormone (QPTH) assay demonstrated a fall in all 22 patients, thus confirming successful removal of the hyperfunctioning PA. No major surgical complications were observed. After a period of follow-up ranging between 6 and 27 months (median 13 months), no case of persistent/recurrent PHPT was recorded. When comparing the parathyroid to background (P/B) ratio measured at planar and SPECT preoperative scintigraphy with that measured intraoperatively with the gamma probe, a good linear correlation was found between the SPECT and the intraoperative gamma probe measurements (r=0.89; p<0.01) but no correlation was found with planar scintigraphic data.


CONCLUSIONS
Our preliminary data suggest that measurement of the P/B ratio by means of (99m)Tc-sestamibi SPECT is more accurate in predicting the intraoperative measurements with the gamma probe. In this respect, a preoperative (99m)Tc-sestamibi SPECT acquisition should be recommended for better selection of PHPT patients in whom a MIRS approach can be offered.
Rubello
Domenico
D
Nuclear Medicine Service - PET Unit, S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Istituto Oncologico Veneto, Viale Tre Martiri, 140, 45100 Rovigo, Italy. domenico.rubello@libero.it
Massaro
Arianna
A
Cittadin
Silvia
S
Rampin
Lucia
L
Al-Nahhas
Adil
A
Boni
Giuseppe
G
Mariani
Giuliano
G
Pelizzo
Maria Rosa
MR
D000236:Adenoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D049950:Hyperparathyroidism, Primary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D010282:Parathyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D018579:Patient Selection; D011846:Radio Waves; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi