PTH, Intact, Fine Needle Aspirate

16560

1 mL fine needle aspirate (FNA) collected in a sterile transport tube

0.8 mL

Parathyroid-tissue washings • Non-lymph node washings • Non-nodal soft tissue washings or cervical node washings collected in a sterile transport tube

A 25-gauge needle is inserted obliquely within the transducer plane of view and moved back and forth (passes) through the nodule to compensate for patient movement and needle deflection. There is no suction device; cells move into the needle via capillary action. After collection of the cytology samples, withdraw between 0.10 and 0.25 mL of saline up through each needle and empty this fluid back through the needle into a tube. This is the needle washing used for analysis. Repeat the passes and saline washings from the same biopsied site and empty contents into the same tube. The washes from all needles are pooled (final volume 1 mL). Inspect specimen for visible blood or tissue contamination. If bloody, centrifuge specimen and transfer supernatant to a new tube to send to the laboratory. The supernatant, not the cellular materials, is used for analysis. If the specimen is clear, centrifugation is not necessary.
Freeze immediately and transport frozen sample to laboratory directly. Do not send specimens in glass tubes.

Frozen

Room temperature: 2 hours
Refrigerated: 48 hours
Frozen: 28 days

Specimens in glass tubes • Any specimen type other than those listed in the Preferred or Other Acceptable section

Set up: Tues, Thurs, Sat; Report available: 3-5 days

Not suggestive of parathyroid tissue	<30 pg/mL
Compatible with parathyroid tissue	>100 pg/mL

Levels >1000 pg/mL suggestive of pathologic parathyroid lesion

Surgical treatment of hyperparathyroidism relies on the ability to accurately identify parathyroid tissue. The use of fine-needle aspirate (FNA) with measurement of intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in suspected parathyroid cysts or adenomas is used to identify parathyroid tissue and has been proven to be a useful surgical adjunct in the treatment of hyperparathyroidism.