High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for Parathyroid Adenoma

Primary hyperparathyroidism is a common endocrine condition in which one or more of the four parathyroid glands in the neck releases too much parathyroid hormone (PTH). this leads to excess calcium in the blood and if untreated it can cause osteoporosis, kidney stone formation, deterioration of kidney function and disturbance in heart rhythm. Surgery to remove all or part of the affected gland(s) is expected to cure 95% of such patients. In current practice all such patients undergo localisation techniques using sestamibi scanning and neck ultrasonography to demonstrate the position of the enlarged/overactive parathyroid gland. These radiological tests are positive in some two thirds of patients, who can be operated through a minimally invasive procedure focused on the exact localisation pinpointed by the scans.

This study uses a procedure that does not require a surgical incision. Precise imaging of the parathyroid glands allows the exact position of the tumour to be found from outside the body. A High Intensity Focused Ultrasound beam produces heat, but only in a small specific area. Exact positioning of the ultrasound beam targets the tumour cells and kills them without harming the surrounding healthy tissues.