radioactive parathyroid scan

[debsiwebs]

hello....i wonder if anyone can share their experiences of radioactive parathyroid scan....and what the outcome was. Acouple of months ago, i was diagnosed hypothyroid. Ihad an US scan which found a large nodule in the thyroid, and a larger thing in a parathyroid. Three weeks after the US, the aforementioned nodule disappeared.!! Meanwhile, my PTH came back elevated and today I have been sent an app. for a radioactive scan and another ultrasound. This is all taking such a long time...6 months in all. Is the fact of being hypothyroid linked to being hyperparathyroid? Help please. Debs

[debsiwebs]

thanks for your comments last week! Yesterday I had a US on my kidneys, spleen, liver, pancreas, ovaries,gall bladder and things. The radiologist told me (confidentially) that I have gall stones....but officially my results aren't due for 2 weeks. Next Weds is my radiocative scan for my parathyroid. I'm wondering if hyperparathyroism can have caused these gallstones.....also I'm hypothyroid, but do not have antibodies for hashimotos., so what other causes can be responsible for these conditions? I have all the symptoms of hypo....except for cold intolerance....I'm always...or most of the time overheated. I also have an endocrinology appointment in 3 weeks...I'm getting really confused about it all.Debs

[Thypatient]

Sorry you are having to go through all this.  Hope you were helped by what medicmommy has shared.  I had a similar experience but the scan did not reveal my tumor.  I understand there are times when issues with the thyroid, which I had, can interfer with the image.  Surgery commenced anyway and was successful.

Here are two additional links that might give you more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sestamibi_scan

http://www.uclahealth.org/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=477&action=detail&AEProductIDSRC=Adam2004_1&AEArticleID=19100&AEProductID=Adam2004_1&AEProjectTypeIDURL=APT_2

Good luck with the test and keep in touch.

[medicmommy]

Hi Debs!
I can only speak for myself on this one...HPT did affect my thyroid but no nodules to my knowledge...It also gave me hypercalcemia, kidney stones, period weirdness, back and joint pain, gall stones, headaches, heartburn, and having to urinate every 25 minutes...Oh, gut trouble too...(I'm sure there was more that I've blissfully forgotten!).
The Sestamibi scan is no big deal. You have a prescan, (I didn't even have to get undressed!), get an IV injection of isotopes, hang out for 20 mins, and then get scanned again. The IV stuff made me feel like I was wetting my pants, -but you are warned ahead of time...(I wasn't, by the way.) When the scan is done, they can see your thyroid (faintly) and parathyroids and how active they are. My bad one showed up like a lightbulb! The good news is, if you do have a parathyroid tumor, 98% of them are benign. Parathyroid.com is a really good site if you want to find out more about the Sestamibi scan and Parathyroid issues...It actually helped me get diagnosed...Good luck, and try not to worry...           ~MM