[Clinical utility of thallium-201 chloride in the diagnosis of parathyroid glands in patients with hyperparathyroidism]

Clinical utility for detection of hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands in patients with primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT, SHPT) using 201TlCl and 99mTcO4-images was estimated in 50 patients including 18 PHPT and 32 SHPT (male; n = 31, female; n = 19, 51.5 +/- 11.1 yr). Detection of 94 hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands in 34 cases were achieved correctly by 201TlCl and 99mTcO4- images in agreement with surgical findings. Detectability of hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands was 100% in more than 1.0 g, 62.0% in more than 0.5 g and 41.5% in less than 0.5 g respectively. Ectopic parathyroid glands in two cases and a metastasis to pretracheal lymph node in one case were clearly demonstrated. Our results show that parathyroid scintigraphy using 201TlCl and 99mTcO4- as well as 131I or 123I is useful and safe method for preoperative detection of hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands.