Parathyroid gland has its own indigenous fluorescence. ( autofluroscence ). It can be evident on infrared camera. Hyperplasia or adenomatous growth makes it brighter than normal gland. It's a nice tool to ease out the search of glands in the neck bed and to differentiate normal gland from adenomatous or hyperplastic one. This technology has proven a great help to surgeons for the precision and for assuring the completion of surgery in parathyroid adenomas. It's importance is felt especially when glands are not at their usual locations.
It can be used not only for adenoma excision but also to spare parathyroids during total thyroidectomy and neck dissection in thyroid cancer surgery. Due to their resemblence with surrounding lymph nodes, the surgeon's quest of achieving R0 resection , thorough neck clerance and in the hope of not leaving RAI detectable thyroid tissue behind, parathyroids are inadvertently got excised or the procedure impairs their vascularity rendering them non-functioning . It causes significant hypoparthyroidism and hypocalemia which can sometimes be for longer period and can be difficult to manage if not deadly. This technique helps to reduce theses chances significantly.
