Advances in techniques for measurement of parathyroid hormone Current applications in clinical medicine and directions for future research.

Immunometric assays that measure intact parathyroid hormone are replacing traditional radio immunoassays because they provide better discrimination of parathyroid gland function in classic disorders of calcium homeostasis, although radio immunoassays and bioassays continue to have roles in some clinical and research situations. The sensitivity and high precision of Immunometric assays will enable definition of parathyroid hormone's role in chronic and subtle disturbances of calcium and bone homeostasis, such as bone loss and calcium stone disease, in addition to assisting the clinician in the differential diagnosis of hypercalcemic and hypocalcemic disorders.