Parathyroid Scan with SPECT/CT

Parathyroid Scan with SPECT/CT

A Parathyroid Scan involves injecting a small amount of a radioactive tracer (99mTc Sestamibi) that attaches to the parathyroid. Utilising SPECT/CT imaging, which combines a "SPECT" scan with a "CT" scan, aids in localising any area of abnormal activity that may be present. For the "SPECT" (or Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) component, the nuclear medicine gamma camera rotates 360 degrees around the body and creates pictures based on the data it obtains. For the "CT" (or Computed Tomography) portion, the CT detector uses a lower dose of radiation to help the SPECT scan create a better image. These CT images can be electronically fused with the SPECT images to generate what is called a “SPECT/CT image,” crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning at SJMC.

Primary hyperparathyroidism is caused by a single parathyroid adenoma in up to 90% of clinical cases. Selective surgical excision of the hyperfunctioning parathyroid gland is the preferred treatment for this condition, and parathyroid scintigraphy is one of the primary and standard methods used for preoperative localisation. SPECT/CT is advantageous over planar imaging because SPECT/CT provides useful anatomic information, improving overall diagnostic confidence in SJMC.

What are the benefits of a Parathyroid Scan with SPECT/CT?

• Fast SPECT acquisition facilitates dynamic flow and early function measurements.
• Motion correction.  
• Simultaneous dual-isotope imaging. 
• Two-position imaging to mitigate attenuation artifacts. 
• Very low-dose (1 mSv) stress-only. 

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