Project Details
Description
The parathyroid glands are four small endocrine structures located in the anterior neck behind the thyroid
lobes. The parathyroid glands produce parathyroid hormone, which regulates calcium homeostasis by
causing a) calcium resorption in the kidneys, b) release of calcium from the bones into the bloodstream,
and c) conversion of vitamin D into its active form, thereby indirectly increasing the absorption of calcium
into the bloodstream by the intestines. Simply put, hyperparathyroidism causes hypercalcaemia, and
hypoparathyroidism causes hypocalcaemia.
Parathyroid identification is of critical importance for two surgical patient categories: patients undergoing parathyroidectomy due to hyperparathyroidism, and patients undergoing total or completion thyroidectomy due to thyroid pathology. During a parathyroidectomy, a pathological parathyroid gland must be identified and removed. During a thyroidectomy, the healthy parathyroid glands must not be accidentally damaged or removed during the surgery. The parathyroid glands, however, are notoriously difficult to visualize, both on pre-operative imaging and during surgery. The glands are very small, (approximately the size of a large grain of rice) and may look similar to surrounding tissue, their position on the neck can vary from patient to patient, and even the number of glands is variable, with supernumerary glands being present in 5-13% of cases.
This PhD project investigates new imaging techniques that may be performed by the surgeon to
visualize the parathyroid glands and their vessels in real-time 1) when planning a parathyroidectomy in
patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and 2) when trying to avoid unintended parathyroidectomy or
parathyroid injury during total and completion thyroidectomy.
For more information:
https://open.rsyd.dk/OpenProjects/openProject.jsp?openNo=1434⟨=da
https://open.rsyd.dk/OpenProjects/openProject.jsp?openNo=922⟨=da
lobes. The parathyroid glands produce parathyroid hormone, which regulates calcium homeostasis by
causing a) calcium resorption in the kidneys, b) release of calcium from the bones into the bloodstream,
and c) conversion of vitamin D into its active form, thereby indirectly increasing the absorption of calcium
into the bloodstream by the intestines. Simply put, hyperparathyroidism causes hypercalcaemia, and
hypoparathyroidism causes hypocalcaemia.
Parathyroid identification is of critical importance for two surgical patient categories: patients undergoing parathyroidectomy due to hyperparathyroidism, and patients undergoing total or completion thyroidectomy due to thyroid pathology. During a parathyroidectomy, a pathological parathyroid gland must be identified and removed. During a thyroidectomy, the healthy parathyroid glands must not be accidentally damaged or removed during the surgery. The parathyroid glands, however, are notoriously difficult to visualize, both on pre-operative imaging and during surgery. The glands are very small, (approximately the size of a large grain of rice) and may look similar to surrounding tissue, their position on the neck can vary from patient to patient, and even the number of glands is variable, with supernumerary glands being present in 5-13% of cases.
This PhD project investigates new imaging techniques that may be performed by the surgeon to
visualize the parathyroid glands and their vessels in real-time 1) when planning a parathyroidectomy in
patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and 2) when trying to avoid unintended parathyroidectomy or
parathyroid injury during total and completion thyroidectomy.
For more information:
https://open.rsyd.dk/OpenProjects/openProject.jsp?openNo=1434⟨=da
https://open.rsyd.dk/OpenProjects/openProject.jsp?openNo=922⟨=da
| Status | Active |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 01/10/2021 → 31/03/2025 |