Revista de nefrología y terapéutica

Undescended Parathyroid Gland Mimicking Salivary Gland Uptake

Abstract

Abir Ezzine,Maha Ben Fradj,Awatef Azzabi,Aicha Talmoudi*,Wissal Sahtout,Raja Boukadida,Samia Ayachi,Walid Hdhili,Abdellatif Achour,Mohsen Guezguez

Undescended glands are a rare cause of primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism. Patient and method: We report the case of a 35 year-old female with a 14 year-old history of chronic renal failure who presented a severe and persistent secondary hyperparathyroidism despite subtotal parathyroidectomy and removal of mediastinal ectopic parathyroid. The patient remained symptomatic with high iPTH levels at 1700 pg/ml. Result: A 99mTc-Sestamibi parathyroid scintigraphy was performed. Cervical SPECT/CT localized the pathological uptake in the fused images behind the right submandibular salivary gland, in the right jugulo-carotid bifurcation. Minimally invasive surgical intervention was successfully performed. The postoperative iPTH level was within the normal range.