Surgeon Review of 4D CT for Identification of Parathyroid Adenomas

BackgroundPreoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas aids surgical planning for patients with hyperparathyroidism. This study explores the diagnostic accuracy of surgeon-reviewed 4D computed tomography (4D CT) scans for localization of parathyroid adenomas.MethodsA retrospective review of 95 patients with hyperparathyroidism who underwent parathyroidectomy at a tertiary care center was performed. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, accuracy of identifying abnormal glands by surgeon, and interrater reliability between two head and neck surgeons was assessed.ResultsThe sensitivity of surgeon localization of all glands was 71% (95% CI, 63%-78%), improving to 76% when combined with radiology reads. The specificity was 98% (95% CI, 95%-99%), the positive predictive value was 95% (95% CI, 90%-99%), and the negative predictive value was 84% (95% CI, 79%-88%) for all abnormal glands. Interrater reliability between surgeons was kappa = 0.771.ConclusionsThe diagnostic accuracy of surgeon localization of abnormal glands on the 4D CT scan was substantial. Improvement with radiology report integration highlights the benefits of multidisciplinary collaboration. Interrater reliability between two fellowship-trained surgeons was moderate. These findings support the importance of surgeons developing proficiency in reading 4D CT scans to engage in interdisciplinary communication and improve patient outcomes.