Parathyroid cysts--medical diagnosis and management.

Abstract

To the Editor.— We would like to augment the data in the provocative article by Ginsberg et al entitled Parathyroid Cysts: Medical Diagnosis and Management (240:1506, 1978). We have aspirated seven cystic nodules overlying the thyroid area and measured their parathyroid hormone content. In five cases, the cyst intact parathyroid hormone level 1 (x± SD, 281.0±107.2 pg Eq/mL) was approximately the same as the serum level (x±SD, 284.5±60.5 pg Eq/mL; normal range, 163 to 347 pg Eq/mL). One of these aspirates had a clear, watery color suggestive of a parathyroid cyst. In another of these cases later surgically shown to be benign microfollicular thyroid adenoma, both intact parathyroid hormone and carboxyl-terminal parathyroid hormone 2 were similar in serum and cyst fluid. In two cases, the cystic fluid intact parathyroid hormone level was sharply greater than the serum level. In one case, the serum intact parathyroid hormone level was 192 pg Eq/mL and