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MRI may help doctors avoid unnecessary surgeries on suspected testicular ca

Category: Cancer Detection and Tumor Markers

Results of a recent study have suggested that non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an accurate and safe diagnostic test when used to evaluate patients suspected of having testicular cancer. U.S. researchers believe that the use of the imaging technique may improve patient care by eliminating some unnecessary surgeries.

Lead researcher Athina Tsili and her colleagues found that sonography, the primary imaging technique for the evaluation of scrotal contents, does not always accurately characterize the nature of a testicular mass.

In the study, the researchers reviewed the medical charts of 33 patients who were admitted to a hospital with scrotal lesions. Prior surgery and histological examinations revealed 28 malignant and 8 benign lesions in the group of patients.

Utilizing magnetic resonance imaging scans, the research team correctly identified all 28 malignant tumors and 7 of 8 benign lesions.

"MRI is an efficient diagnostic tool for the evaluation of testicular masses," concluded Tsili. "It is accurate in the preoperative differentiation of benign and malignant masses, facilitating accurate estimation of the local extent of disease in patients with malignant tumors."