Adenomas of the human parathyroid.Light and electron microscopic study following selenium 75 methionine scan

This article reports the light and electron microscopic study of normal human parathyroid and seven parathyroid adenomas. Six patients received selenium 75 methionine, a gamma emitter, in tracer doses to try to localize the adenoma. Ultrastructural differences between normal individuals, patients, not receiving the isotope and those receiving the isotope were noted. The changes were most marked in adenomas removed 10 to 40 days after isotope and absent in one removed 192 days after isotope. The authors suggest that the ultrastructure of the parathyroid cell might have been altered by isotope exposure or may be a characeristic of certain parathyroid adenomas related to their neoplastic nature.