Multiple brown tumors simulating bone metastases: a case of parathyroid adenoma coexisting with papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.

A 55-year-old man with multiple brown tumors who initially was thought to have multiple bone metastases is described. He had elevated parathyroid hormone levels and was referred to the nuclear medicine department, where a parathyroid adenoma was diagnosed. At surgery, abnormal lymph nodes were seen, which were found to contain metastatic thyroid papillary carcinoma cells. On further exploration, the patient's bone scintigraph revealed multiple sites of increased uptake but no bone abnormalities on whole-body iodine and Tc-99m MIBI scans.