Studies on the non-adenomatous glands in patients with a solitary parathyroid adenoma.

The properties of the non-adenomatous glands in 22 cases of primary hyperparathyroidism due to solitary adenoma were studied. The mean glandular and parenchymal cell weight was somewhat lower than that found by others in glands from euparathyroid subjects. In almost all glands the dark chief cells predominated. This cell type indicates endocrine activity. With some exceptions the glandular endocrine activity seems to be less pronounced than in the concomitantly resected adenoma. Histologically there was no apparent signs of atrophy or hyperplasia in the nonadenomatous glands. The clinical relevance of the findings is discussed.