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Parathyroid cancer — difficult diagnosis — a case report
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Abstract
Parathyroid cancer is a rare disorder of unclear etiology that is difficult to diagnose and treat. It is most often diagnosed incidentally based on multi-organ non-specific symptoms of hypercalcemia as a consequence of parathyroid hormone oversecretion. We present a case of a male with primary hyperparathyroidism who was diagnosed with parathyroid cancer ectopically located in the mediastinum only after the third surgery. However, due to chronic hypercalcemia, problems with localization and a bad clinical condition, the patient was not able to undergo a radical resection and one year after the first pathological fracture died. Taking into consideration the whole clinical picture we want to emphasize the need to apply comprehensive differential diagnosis of hypercalcemia and localization diagnosis of parathyroid tissue with a use of MIBI scintigraphy accompanied by the computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, as the most specific diagnostic tools employed in this pathology.
Abstract
Parathyroid cancer is a rare disorder of unclear etiology that is difficult to diagnose and treat. It is most often diagnosed incidentally based on multi-organ non-specific symptoms of hypercalcemia as a consequence of parathyroid hormone oversecretion. We present a case of a male with primary hyperparathyroidism who was diagnosed with parathyroid cancer ectopically located in the mediastinum only after the third surgery. However, due to chronic hypercalcemia, problems with localization and a bad clinical condition, the patient was not able to undergo a radical resection and one year after the first pathological fracture died. Taking into consideration the whole clinical picture we want to emphasize the need to apply comprehensive differential diagnosis of hypercalcemia and localization diagnosis of parathyroid tissue with a use of MIBI scintigraphy accompanied by the computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, as the most specific diagnostic tools employed in this pathology.
Keywords
hyperparathyroidism, parathyroid cancer, MIBI scintigraphy, MRI, CT
About this articleTitle
Parathyroid cancer — difficult diagnosis — a case report
Journal
Issue
Article type
Case report
Pages
46-50
Published online
2016-01-29
Page views
1835
Article views/downloads
2112
DOI
10.5603/NMR.2016.0009
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Nucl. Med. Rev 2016;19(1):46-50.
Keywords
hyperparathyroidism
parathyroid cancer
MIBI scintigraphy
MRI
CT
Authors
Aleksandra Joanna Pyzik
Beata Matyjaszek-Matuszek
Agnieszka Zwolak
Beata Chrapko
Dawid Pyzik
Katarzyna Strawa- Zakościelna
