Diagnostic Performance of Cervical Ultrasound, Tc-99m-Sestamibi Scintigraphy, and Contrast-Enhanced F-18-Fluorocholine PET in Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Preoperative localization of pathologic parathyroids is crucial for minimally invasive treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). This study compared contrast-enhanced F-18-fluorocholine PET/CT, cervical ultrasonography (CU), and conventional scintigraphic imaging modalities (MIBI scintigraphy, consisting of Tc-99m-sestamibi/I-123-sodium iodide SPECT/CT, Tc-99m-sestamibi/I-123-sodium iodide planar subtraction imaging, and Tc-99m-sestamibi planar dual-phase imaging), combined and individually, for preoperative localization of hyperfunctional parathyroids in PHPT. The gold standard was histologic examination. Methods: Data from consecutive patients with clinically suspected PHPT were retrospectively collected. All 3 imaging modalities were systematically performed. The ability of F-18-fluorocholine PET/CT, CU, and MIBI scintigraphy to identify a hyperfunctional parathyroid and specify the side or identify an ectopic location was noted. Patients underwent surgical exploration if at least 1 examination was positive. The findings of CU + MIBI scintigraphy combined were considered positive if CU and MIBI scintigraphy separately showed a hyperfunctional parathyroid gland on the same side or in the same ectopic location; any findings other than these were considered negative. The composite judgment criterion for pathologic parathyroid was a combination of histologic analysis and normalization of parathyroid hormone and calcium levels. Results: In total, 149 pathologic parathyroids were found in 143 of the 144 included patients. F-18-fluorocholine PET/CT diagnosed 148 of 149 pathologic parathyroids. Only 4 false-positives and 1 false-negative were found. The F-18-fluorocholine PET/CT sensitivity of 99.3% was superior to that of CU, at 75.2% (P < 0.0001); MIBI scintigraphy, at 65.1% (P < 0.0001); and CU + MIBI scintigraphy, at 89.9%, (P = 0.0009). Five of the 5 ectopic locations were diagnosed by F-18-fluorocholine PET/CT, 2 of the 5 by MIBI scintigraphy, and none by CU. Accuracy was better for F-18-fluorocholine PET/CT, at 98%, than for CU, at 84% (P < 0.0001); MIBI scintigraphy, at 81% (P < 0.0001); or CU + MIBI scintigraphy, at 91% (P < 0.0001). Among the 72 (50%) patients who had a negative CU + MIBI scintigraphy result, F-18-fluorocholine PET/CT correctly identified hyperfunctional thyroids in 70 (97.2%). Average uptake in the F-18-fluorocholine PET/CT hyperfunctional parathyroid was higher than that in the adjacent thyroid (SUVmax adjusted for lean body mass, 6.45 vs. 2.15) (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: The accuracy of F-18-fluorocholine PET/CT is higher than that of CU and MIBI scintigraphy for localization of hyperfunctional parathyroids, justifying the systematic use of F-18-fluorocholine PET/CT as the first-line method for PHPT diagnosis.