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  • Parathyroid Imaging
    • Parathyroid Scan
    • Parathyroid Ultrasound
    • SPECT Scanning of Parathyroid
    • MRI of Parathyroid
    • Parathyroid CT Scan
  • OUR EXPERT TEAM
    • Lawrence Gordon, MD, Parathyroid Surgeon
    • Operating Room Team
      • Nancy Fiorino, R.N.
      • China Krupin, R.N.
      • Marlene Roerden, R.N.
      • Regina Carey, R.N.
      • Gail Babcock, R.N.
      • Marie Bush, R.N.
      • Lynn Hickey, R.N.
    • Parathyroid Imaging Team
      • Steven Leffler, M.D. Ph.D.
      • Robert Wilkins, M.D.
      • Fred Bohn, Nuclear Medicine
      • Rose Richardsen, Ultrasonography
    • Surgical Team
      • Ching-Huang Huang, M.D.
      • Tomi Prvulovic, M.D.
      • Wendy Xu, R.N.
      • Janine
      • Helen Paliana
    • Administration and Office Staff
      • Jennifer Rotante
      • Resa Barbalich
    • Pathology and Laboratory Team
  • Become a Patient
    • Travel Plans
      • Lodging
      • Directions
      • Sites to Visit
      • Concierge Service
    • Fees and Medical Insurance
    • Postop Instructions
    • What Patients Say
    • Postoperative Scar Gallery
  • FAQ
    • Can I wait for surgery?
    • Out of town patients
    • Wound Care
    • Where should I have my parathyroid localization?
    • Ambulatory parathyroid surgery
    • Fees
    • Negative Sestamibi
    • Postoperative Medications
    • Large parathyroid tumors
  • Parathyroid Function
    • Hyperparathyroidism Treatment
    • Hyperparathyroidism
    • Diagnostic Tests
    • Osteoporosis
    • Kidney Stones
  • Parathyroid Surgery Technique
    • Intraoperative Parathyroid Hormone
    • Parathyroid Surgery Technique
    • Anesthesia for Parathyroid Surgery
    • Minimally Invasive Radioguided Parathyroidectomy (MIRP)
    • Does Length Matter?

Parathyroid Scan

Parathyroid Sestamibi Scan

Parathyroid sestamibi scanning is always performed before minimally invasive parathyroid surgery. Sestamibi is a small protein which is labeled with the radio-pharmaceutical technetium-99m. This very safe and mild radioactive agent is then preferably absorbed by the abnormal parathyroid gland i.e. parathyroid adenoma. Using a technically advanced gamma nuclear camera, the abnormal gland can then be visualized and localized in the neck. Normal parathyroid glands typically will not take up the radioactive particles because they are suppressed by an elevated calcium level caused by the abnormal gland . Therefore, a sestamibi scan will show the one bad parathyroid tumor and it will NOT show your normal parathyroid glands. The other 3 parathyroids are essentially sleeping and not functioning at a normal state. The normal parathyroids produce relatively minimal parathyroid hormone.

 

This can be an extremely accurate and sensitive test; when performed correctly with the latest equipment it localizes approximately 70% of parathyroid adenomas. If this test is done at a hospital with less experience, the percent of positive scans decreases. If this nuclear scan is positive, there is a greater than 95% specificity i.e. it is very likely that the active area of the scan represents the parathyroid adenoma.

 

 

 

 

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