The role of subspecialized radiologist reviews in preoperative conference for hepato-pancreato-biliary disease

Purpose: To identify the role of subspecialized radiologists in preoperative conferences of radiologists and surgeons in the management of hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) diseases. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the prospective data of 247 patients (mean age, 63.8 years; 173 men) who were referred for preoperative conferences (n = 258; 11 were discussed twice) for HPB disease between September 2021 and April 2022. Before each preoperative conference, subspecialized radiologists reviewed all available imaging studies and treatment plan information. After each conference, any change to the treatment plan was documented (major, minor, or none). Additional information provided by the radiologists was collected (significant, supplementary, or none). Uni- and multivariable analyses were performed to determine factors that resulted in a major change to the treatment plan. Results: Of the 258 reviewed cases, a major change was made to the treatment plan in 26 cases (10.1 %) and a minor change in 41 (15.9 %). Significant information was provided in 27 cases (10.5 %) and supplementary information in 72 (27.9 %). In the multivariable analysis, additional information about local tumor extent (odds ratio [OR], 6.3; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 2.1–19.5; p = 0.001) and distant metastasis detection (OR, 33.2; 95 % CI, 5.1–216.6; p < 0.001) was significantly associated with a major change. Conclusion: The involvement of subspecialized radiologists in preoperative conferences resulted in major treatment plan changes in 10.1 % of the cases, primarily associated with the added information about local tumor extent and distant metastasis.