This page was last updated: February 25, 2012
Pre-Operative Skin Marking to Localize a Parathyroid Adenoma in Minimally-Invasive Parathyroidectomy


Otolaryngology Houston

Bechara Y. Ghorayeb, MD
OTOLARYNGOLOGY - HEAD & NECK SURGERY
Memorial Hermann Professional Building
1140 Business Center Drive, Suite 560
Houston, Texas 77043
For appointments, call: 713 464 2614
On a Technetium 99 Sestamibi nuclear scan, a radioactive marker is placed in the sternal notch. The distance between the marker and the parathyroid adenoma is measured on the scan and the skin is marked accordingly.  This method is not very accurate, however, it gives the surgeon a good estimate of the location of the adenoma with respect to the sternal notch or the clavicular head. It is particularly useful for the removal of superior parathyroids.