A 64-year-old woman with a history of I-131 ablation for Graves hyperthyroidism and bilateral parathyroid exploration with resection of a left inferior parathyroid adenoma presented 2 years after surgery with marked fatigue, irritability, and joint pain. Laboratory testing revealed an elevated calcium and parathyroid hormone levels suspicious for hyperparathyroidism. The ultrasound indicated no evidence of a parathyroid adenoma. Tc-99m-MIBI SPECT demonstrated a focus of uptake posteroinferior to the right submandibular gland, suspicious for a parathyroid adenoma. Repeat ultrasound and CT confirmed the presence of a para-hyoid adenoma inferior to the right submandibular gland.
Molecular imaging methods can non-invasively detect, quantify and monitor immune phenomena, such as rejection or graft-versus-host disease, after transplantation. Molecular imaging could help in targeted biopsy and could improve graft survival by allowing for early intervention with tailored immunosuppressive regimens. Given the unprecedented progress in the field, the potential benefits of molecular imaging to the speciality of organ and tissue transplantation cannot be underestimated.
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