Real-world staging computed tomography scanning technique and important reporting discrepancies in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Factors Associated With Aborted Whipple Procedures for Periampullary Carcinoma: A Multicenter Case-Control Study by the SAR Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Disease Focus Panel

Background: A number of patients with periampullary carcinoma deemed resectable on preoperative CT have their curative-intent surgery aborted on the basis of intraoperative findings. Objective: This study sought to identify imaging and clinical factors associated with aborted curative-intent Whipple procedures for periampullary adenocarcinoma. Methods: Ten U.S., Canadian, and French institutions contributed data to this retrospective case-control study of 360 adults (220 men, 140 women; mean age, 68.6 ± 8.4 [SD] years) with periampullary adenocarcinoma who underwent curative-intent Whipple procedures between January 2016 and December 2022. A total of 180 patients for whom the procedure was aborted (cases) were matched by sex and 5-year age blocks with 180 patients for whom the procedure was completed (controls). Covariates included cancer type, tumor size and resectability on CT, CT reconstruction slice thickness including by phase, number of phases, multiplanar imaging, reconstruction at the workstation, possible metastases reported, structured versus unstructured report, reporting radiologist's experience, hepatic steatosis, preoperative liver MRI, endoscopic ultrasound, ERCP, multidisciplinary review, neoadjuvant therapy and response, and serum CA 19-9 and CEA levels. Logistic regression was performed with ORs and 95% CIs. Results: Whipple procedures were most frequently aborted due to metastases (67% [121/180]), followed by locally unresectable disease (28% [50/180]). Serum CA 19-9 levels of 37 U/mL or more were associated with aborted Whipple procedures with an OR of 3.75 (95% CI, 1.22-12.77) that increased to 5.47 (95% CI, 1.80-18.62) when a cutoff of 200 U/mL was applied. CT slice thickness ranged from 0.5 mm to 5 mm. CT examinations that used only slice thicknesses of 2.5 mm or more were independently associated with aborted Whipple procedures (OR = 4.28 [95% CI, 1.37-15.00]), including when assessing only pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. No other variables showed statistically significant association. Conclusion: Elevated serum CA 19-9 levels and preoperative CT using only slice thickness of 2.5 mm or more were associated with aborted curative-intent Whipple procedures. Many other imaging and clinical factors did not show an association. Clinical Impact: If curative-intent surgery is planned in patients with periampullary carcinoma, preoperative CT should be performed using reconstructions smaller than 2.5 mm to reduce the likelihood of incorrect staging.

Factors associated with radiological misstaging of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: A retrospective observational study

PURPOSE

Accurate staging of disease is vital in determining appropriate care for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). It has been shown that the quality of scans and the experience of a radiologist can impact computed tomography (CT) based assessment of disease. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of the rereading of outside hospital (OH) CT by an expert radiologist and a repeat pancreatic protocol CT (PPCT) on staging of disease.

METHODS

Patients evaluated at the our institute's pancreatic multidisciplinary clinic (2006 to 2014) with OH scan and repeat PPCT performed within 30 days were included. In-house radiologists staged disease using OH scans and repeat PPCT, and factors associated with misstaging were determined.

RESULTS

The study included 100 patients, with a median time between OH scan and PPCT of 19 days (IQR: 13-23 days.) Stage migration was mostly accounted for by upstaging of disease (58.8 % to 83.3 %) in all comparison groups. When OH scans were rereviewed, 21.5 % of the misstaging was due to missed metastases, however, when rereads were compared to the PPCT, occult metastases accounted for the majority of misstaged patients (62.5 %). Potential factors associated with misstaging were primarily related to imaging technique.

CONCLUSION

A repeat PPCT results in increased detection of metastatic disease that rereviews of OH scans may otherwise miss. Accessible insurance coverage for repeat PPCT imaging even within 30 days of an OH scan could help optimize delivery of care and alleviate burdens associated with misstaging.

Determination of "borderline resectable" pancreatic cancer - A global assessment of 30 shades of grey

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis. Accurate preoperative assessment using computed tomography (CT) to determine resectability is crucial in ensuring patients are offered the most appropriate therapeutic strategy. Despite the use of classification guidelines, any interobserver variability between reviewing surgeons and radiologists may confound decisions influencing patient treatment pathways.

METHODS

In this multicentre observational study, an international group of 96 clinicians (42 hepatopancreatobiliary surgeons and 54 radiologists) were surveyed and asked to report 30 pancreatic CT scans of pancreatic cancer deemed borderline at respective multidisciplinary meetings (MDM). The degree of interobserver agreement in resectability among radiologists and surgeons was assessed and subgroup regression analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Interobserver variability between reviewers was high with no unanimous agreement. Overall interobserver agreement was fair with a kappa value of 0.32 with a higher rate of agreement among radiologists over surgeons.

CONCLUSION

Interobserver variability among radiologists and surgeons globally is high, calling into question the consistency of clinical decision making for patients with PDAC and suggesting that central review may be required for studies of neoadjuvant or adjuvant approaches in future as well as ongoing quality control initiatives, even amongst experts in the field.