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Glossary of Common Procedures and
Terms Used in Endocrinology

Adrenalectomy: Surgery for removal of the adrenal gland.

CT Scanner: Computer tomography scanner – high-technology scanning device used to find adrenal nodules.

FNAB: Fine needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid – The procedure of using of a tiny needle to obtain thyroid cells for examination under a microscope.

Laparoscopic Surgery: Minimally invasive surgery using a small video camera and long, thin instruments introduced into the abdomen through separate small incisions.

MIRP: Minimally invasive radio-guided parathyroid surgery – Removal of parathyroid tumors through an incision smaller than 1-inch wide, using a radioactive probe to find the enlarged gland.

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging – A high-technology scanning device used to find adrenal nodules.

PTH: Parathyroid hormone – The blood chemical secreted by the parathyroid glands that is responsible for maintaining a normal calcium level in the bloodstream.

Parathyroidectomy: Parathyroid surgery – the primary treatment to remove one or more of the four parathyroid glands.

Sestamibi: A radioactive substance used by endocrinologists and endocrine surgeons to locate overactive parathyroid glands in the neck.

US Scanner: Ultrasound scanner – A high-technology scanning device used to find thyroid and parathyroid tumors.



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