Localizing hyperfunctioning parathyroid tissue: MRI or nuclear study or both?

The surgical approach to primary hyperparathyroidism patients has changed recently with minimally invasive surgery becoming more common. This retrospective study reviews the relative sensitivities of dual-phase sestamibi (DP-SI) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in preoperative patients. We found that MRI was more sensitive, but the difference was not statistically significant. Magnetic resonance imaging enhanced the ability to localize abnormal tissues when the DP-SI was negative. Together, both tests demonstrated a sensitivity of 92%. We recommend performing DP-SI initially, and if negative, MRI. This should provide the highest imaging sensitivity at the lowest cost.