The Utility of 18F-fluorocholine PET/CT in the Imaging of Parathyroid Adenomas

The Utility of 18F-fluorocholine PET/CT in the Imaging of Parathyroid Adenomas

We assessed sensitivity of 18F-FCH PET/CT in preoperative localisation of hyperfunctioning parathyroid tissue in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT).

We prospectively enrolled 65 consecutive patients with PHPT who underwent neck ultrasound (US) and parathyroid scintigraphy (99mTc/99mTc-MIBI dual phase). Twenty-two patients had unsuccessful parathyroid surgery prior to the study. PET/CT scans were performed 65.0 ± 13.3 min after injection of 218.5 ± 31.9 MBq of 18F-fluorocholine (FCH). Three experienced nuclear medicine physicians assessed the detection rate of hyperfunctioning parathyroid tissue. Response to parathyroidectomy and clinical follow-up served as a reference test. Per-patient sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) were calculated for patients who underwent surgery.

Inclusion Criteria:

• primary hyperparathyroidism and neck US and the dual-phase 99mTc/99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT scintigraphy performed prior to the PET/CT scan

Exclusion Criteria:

• pregnancy
• patient's lack of consent to the examination