Conclusions
Parathyroid cyst should be evoked, and signs and symptoms of hyperparathyroidism actively searched for when facing any cystic tumor in the anterior neck or the upper mediastinum. The best investigation for a functional cyst defined by hyperparathyroidism is US and sestamibi scan in order to localize the functional gland before surgery. US-guided fine-needle puncture should not be recommended in this setting. In cases of non-functional cyst, US-guided fine-needle puncture with analysis of both thyroid hormones and PTH levels will determine the further management of the cyst.
Abbreviations
25-OH vitamin D: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D; 99mTc: Technetium 99m; BP: Blood pressure; CT: Computed tomography; PTH: Parathyroid hormone; Sestamibi: Sesta methoxyisobutylisonitrile; SPECT: Single-photon emission computed tomography; US: Ultrasound
Acknowledgements
We are thankful to the patients and their families. The authors thank Dr Luc Portmann, Service of Endocrinology, Lausanne University Hospital for taking care of some of the patients and practicing thyroid ultrasounds.
Funding
OB is supported by a Swiss National Science Foundation grant #310030-163340.
Availability of data and materials
Not applicable.
Ethics approval and consent to participate
Case studies including three cases or less do not need an ethics authorization in Switzerland. Such reports are not considered a research project and thus the Federal Act on Research involving Human Beings (HRA) does not apply.
Consent for publication
Written informed consent was obtained from the patients for publication of this case report and any accompanying images. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor-in-Chief of this journal.
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J Med Case Reports. 2017;11(333) © 2017 BioMed Central, Ltd.
