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Updated: Jan 7, 2026
Establishment of a Simple and Effective Rat Model for Intraoperative Parathyroid Gland Imaging
Published on: August 17, 2022
Calculation of postoperative parathyroid hormone level using indocyanine green angiography during robotic total
Ja Kyung Lee1, Yoon Kong1, Eunji Kim1
1Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 82, Gumi-Ro 173 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Gyeonggi-do, Seongnam-si, 13620, Korea.
Background:
Postoperative hypoparathyroidism remains a common complication following total thyroidectomy. Although anatomical preservation of the parathyroid glands (PGs) is routinely attempted, functional outcomes are often unpredictable. To address this gap, we developed a novel physiology-based model to predict postoperative parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels by incorporating preoperative hormonal status and intraoperative perfusion assessment using indocyanine green (ICG) angiography.
Methods:
This retrospective study included 37 patients who underwent bilateral axillo-breast approach robotic total thyroidectomy between July 2024 and February 2025. Intraoperative ICG angiography was used to classify each PG as well-perfused, poorly perfused, or unidentifiable. Based on our hypotheses that each PG contributes to total PTH levels equally under normal physiology and that PG's functional viability can be evaluated by ICG angiography, postoperative PTH levels were calculated using the following formula: Calculated PTH = (Preoperative PTH ÷ 4 × nwell) + (1 × npoor), where nwell and npoor represent the number of well- and poorly perfused PGs, respectively.
Results:
Postoperative-to-preoperative PTH ratios exhibited distinct clustering at 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75, consistent with the hypothesis that each PG contributes approximately one-quarter to overall PTH production. Calculated PTH values were strongly correlated with measured postoperative levels (Spearman's ρ = 0.60, p < 0.001), and 73.0% of patients had calculated values within ± 5 pg/mL of the actual result. Transient hypoparathyroidism occurred in 13 patients (35.1%) and was associated with significantly lower actual and calculated postoperative PTH levels compared to those without hypoparathyroidism.
Conclusions:
Our physiology-based model enables accurate intraoperative estimation of postoperative PTH levels by incorporating preoperative PTH values and ICG angiography-based perfusion status. This approach may serve as a rapid and effective indicator of post-thyroidectomy hypoparathyroidism, particularly in day surgery settings or in institutions where routine postoperative laboratory monitoring is not feasible.
