COMPUTED VS FILM-SCREEN MAGNIFICATION RADIOGRAPHY OF FINGERS IN HYPERPARATHYROIDISM - AN ROC ANALYSIS

One hundred randomly selected patients with suspected or known hyperpa rathyroidism were examined in a prospective study of the 2nd and 3rd f ingers with film-screen and digital luminescence radiographs using mag nification technique. The digital images were displayed on a work-stat ion and printed as hard-copies. Two radiologists evaluated the film-sc reen images regarding subperiosteal and intracortical resorption and t heir results were defined as ''gold standard'' regarding the absence o r presence of these changes. Four radiologists evaluated these changes in the 3 image forms and an ROC analysis was performed. Comparing the areas under the ROC curves no significant difference was found betwee n the film-screen images and the 2 digital display forms. These result s suggest that currently available digital systems provide adequate di agnostic accuracy for evaluation of subtle skeletal changes.