{"id":14831,"date":"2021-03-17T13:49:09","date_gmt":"2021-03-17T11:49:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/%ce%b5%cf%80%ce%b5%ce%bc%ce%b2%ce%b1%cf%83%ce%b5%ce%b9%cf%83-%cf%80%ce%b1%cf%81%ce%b1%ce%b8%cf%85%cf%81%ce%bf%ce%b5%ce%b9%ce%b4%ce%ae%cf%82\/"},"modified":"2026-03-02T15:12:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T13:12:23","slug":"parathyroid","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/parathyroid\/","title":{"rendered":"Parathyroid Glands"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><a class=\"cmsmasters-icon-print-1\"><span style=\"margin-left: 7px;\">Print<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_tta_accordion color=&#8221;sky&#8221; c_icon=&#8221;chevron&#8221; active_section=&#8221;1&#8243; no_fill=&#8221;true&#8221; collapsible_all=&#8221;true&#8221;][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;What Are the Parathyroid Glands&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1615975356574-814f1578-a50b&#8221;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The parathyroid glands are four tiny glands <\/span><b>(only a few millimeters in size)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> located behind the thyroid gland in the neck region. They were named for their anatomical proximity to the thyroid gland.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;What Is the Function of the Parathyroid Glands&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1615975356596-08586a48-adda&#8221;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their primary function is to <\/span><b>regulate calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> They produce and secrete the<\/span><b> parathyroid hormone (PTH), <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which increases blood calcium levels through three main mechanisms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mobilizing calcium from the bones<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Promoting its absorption from the intestine by activating vitamin D<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reducing its excretion by the kidneys<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;How Important Are They for the Human Body&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1615975445991-abbe6e0b-76e0&#8243;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Calcium balance is of vital importance for the body. This essential element is fundamental to the human body.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Through their function, the parathyroid glands <\/span><b>ensure the stability of calcium levels<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, something crucial for the <\/span><b>normal function of the nervous and muscular systems<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as well as for <\/span><b>maintaining healthy bones.<\/b>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;How Are the Parathyroid Glands checked through Blood Tests&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1615975481588-25200828-4edd&#8221;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As part of a routine blood check-up, it is important to always include a <\/span><b>simple serum calcium test.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The incidental finding of an elevated calcium level, even one that is near the upper limit of normal, should prompt the physician to request a more comprehensive evaluation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, when a parathyroid disorder is suspected, the initial laboratory assessment typically includes measurements of <\/span><b>Parathyroid Hormone (PTH), Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Albumin, Vitamin D<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as well as a <\/span><b>24-hour Urine Calcium test.<\/b>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;How Are the Parathyroid Glands Imaged Radiologically&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1615975590436-b57265fb-fab9&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_inner vc_row-fluid\">\n<div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div id=\"qq5\" class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element \">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Due to their very small size, in the vast majority of cases <\/span><b>normal parathyroid glands cannot be visualized on imaging.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only when a pathological lesion develops in one or more of the parathyroid glands does medical imaging aim to detect them, using examinations such as <\/span><b>ultrasound, scintigraphy, MRI, 4D CT, choline PET<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and others.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;So, How Is a Parathyroid Disorder Diagnosed&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1615975556038-9e4b248f-329d&#8221;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the patient\u2019s primary physician <\/span><b>does not<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> suspect the condition early enough to <\/span><b>investigate further<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, then in most cases of parathyroid disease:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The patient will<\/span><b> not<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> present with any specific or obvious symptoms.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A routine preventive ultrasound <\/span><b>will not<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> clearly visualize a mildly enlarged parathyroid gland.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A mildly elevated or borderline calcium level in the blood is often<\/span><b> not<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> properly evaluated and, unfortunately, may be overlooked.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coexisting conditions such as osteoporosis, kidney stones, etc., may be underestimated and <\/span><b>not c<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">orrectly associated with a parathyroid disorder.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a result, this is a <\/span><b>diagnosis that frequently escapes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> detection in medical practice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Once the condition is identified, often with delay, it clearly requires prompt management. Each day that elevated parathyroid hormone levels circulate in the bloodstream, they progressively damage the body across various organ systems.<\/b>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Diseases of the Parathyroid Glands&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1615976016751-0a946bcb-71fc&#8221;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most common disorder of the parathyroid glands is <\/span><b>hyperparathyroidism<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, in which the normal regulation of calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood is disrupted.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In hyperparathyroidism, one or more glands become overactive and secrete excessive amounts of Parathyroid Hormone (PTH), leading to <\/span><b>elevated blood calcium levels. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is usually caused by a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/parathyroid-adenoma\/\"><b>parathyroid adenoma<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, less commonly by glandular hyperplasia, and rarely by malignancy. In many cases, it causes no noticeable symptoms and is discovered incidentally through blood tests. When symptoms do occur, they may include <\/span><b>fatigue, muscle weakness, bone pain, kidney stones, or osteoporosis.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Treatment typically involves <\/span><b>surgical removal <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of the affected gland.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Don\u2019t Leave Your Symptoms Unassessed&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1615976104393-438a3c43-b7c5&#8243;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parathyroid dysfunction is a <\/span><b>subtle and often underdiagnosed condition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that may affect your health for a long time without obvious signs. If you have elevated or borderline calcium levels, unexplained fatigue, bone or muscle discomfort, kidney stones, or osteoporosis, do not ignore them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/contact\/\"><b>Schedule an appointment<\/b><\/a><b> for a specialized evaluation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> so that your parathyroid function can be thoroughly investigated and you can receive the appropriate guidance and treatment. Early diagnosis can prevent serious complications and significantly improve your quality of life.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_accordion][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Print [\/vc_column_text][vc_tta_accordion color=&#8221;sky&#8221; c_icon=&#8221;chevron&#8221; active_section=&#8221;1&#8243; no_fill=&#8221;true&#8221; collapsible_all=&#8221;true&#8221;][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;What Are the Parathyroid Glands&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1615975356574-814f1578-a50b&#8221;][vc_column_text]The parathyroid glands are four tiny glands (only a few millimeters in size) located behind the thyroid gland in the neck region. They were named for their anatomical proximity to the thyroid gland.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;What Is the Function of the Parathyroid Glands&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1615975356596-08586a48-adda&#8221;][vc_column_text]Their&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-14831","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Parathyroid Glands: Function, Tests &amp; Disorders | Karvounis<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Parathyroid glands regulate calcium levels. Discover their function, blood tests,imaging methods, and signs of parathyroid disease.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/parathyroid\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Parathyroid Glands: Function, Tests &amp; Disorders | Karvounis\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Parathyroid glands regulate calcium levels. Discover their function, blood tests,imaging methods, and signs of parathyroid disease.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/parathyroid\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"\u0395\u03a5\u0391\u0393\u0393\u0395\u039b\u039f\u03a3 \u039a\u0391\u03a1\u0392\u039f\u03a5\u039d\u0397\u03a3 \u03a7\u03b5\u03b9\u03c1\u03bf\u03c5\u03c1\u03b3\u03cc\u03c2 \u0395\u03bd\u03b4\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03bd\u03ce\u03bd \u0391\u03b4\u03ad\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-02T13:12:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\\\/en\\\/parathyroid\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\\\/en\\\/parathyroid\\\/\",\"name\":\"Parathyroid Glands: Function, Tests &amp; Disorders | Karvounis\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-03-17T11:49:09+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-02T13:12:23+00:00\",\"description\":\"Parathyroid glands regulate calcium levels. Discover their function, blood tests,imaging methods, and signs of parathyroid disease.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\\\/en\\\/parathyroid\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\\\/en\\\/parathyroid\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\\\/en\\\/parathyroid\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Parathyroid Glands\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\\\/\",\"name\":\"\u0395\u03a5\u0391\u0393\u0393\u0395\u039b\u039f\u03a3 \u039a\u0391\u03a1\u0392\u039f\u03a5\u039d\u0397\u03a3 \u03a7\u03b5\u03b9\u03c1\u03bf\u03c5\u03c1\u03b3\u03cc\u03c2 \u0395\u03bd\u03b4\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03bd\u03ce\u03bd \u0391\u03b4\u03ad\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Parathyroid Glands: Function, Tests &amp; Disorders | Karvounis","description":"Parathyroid glands regulate calcium levels. Discover their function, blood tests,imaging methods, and signs of parathyroid disease.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/parathyroid\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Parathyroid Glands: Function, Tests &amp; Disorders | Karvounis","og_description":"Parathyroid glands regulate calcium levels. Discover their function, blood tests,imaging methods, and signs of parathyroid disease.","og_url":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/parathyroid\/","og_site_name":"\u0395\u03a5\u0391\u0393\u0393\u0395\u039b\u039f\u03a3 \u039a\u0391\u03a1\u0392\u039f\u03a5\u039d\u0397\u03a3 \u03a7\u03b5\u03b9\u03c1\u03bf\u03c5\u03c1\u03b3\u03cc\u03c2 \u0395\u03bd\u03b4\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03bd\u03ce\u03bd \u0391\u03b4\u03ad\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd","article_modified_time":"2026-03-02T13:12:23+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/parathyroid\/","url":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/parathyroid\/","name":"Parathyroid Glands: Function, Tests &amp; Disorders | Karvounis","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/#website"},"datePublished":"2021-03-17T11:49:09+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-02T13:12:23+00:00","description":"Parathyroid glands regulate calcium levels. Discover their function, blood tests,imaging methods, and signs of parathyroid disease.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/parathyroid\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/parathyroid\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/parathyroid\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Parathyroid Glands"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/#website","url":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/","name":"\u0395\u03a5\u0391\u0393\u0393\u0395\u039b\u039f\u03a3 \u039a\u0391\u03a1\u0392\u039f\u03a5\u039d\u0397\u03a3 \u03a7\u03b5\u03b9\u03c1\u03bf\u03c5\u03c1\u03b3\u03cc\u03c2 \u0395\u03bd\u03b4\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03bd\u03ce\u03bd \u0391\u03b4\u03ad\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14831","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14831"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14831\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16512,"href":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14831\/revisions\/16512"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/endocrinesurgeon.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14831"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}