Non-invasive diagnostic tool for diagnosing testicular cancer

Researchers have found that non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a good diagnostic tool for the evaluation and staging of testicular cancer and may improve patient care by sparing some men unnecessary surgery, according to a study in the March issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

"Medical imaging plays an important role in the investigation of testicular masses," said Athina C. Tsili, MD, lead author of the study. "Sonography, although the primary imaging technique for the evaluation of scrotal contents, does not always allow confident characterisation of the nature of a testicular mass. The purpose of our study was to assess the role of MRI in the preoperative characterisation and local staging of testicular masses," said Tsili.

Prior surgery and histological examination revealed 28 malignant and 8 benign lesions in 33 patients. "Of those 36 lesions, MRI correctly identified all 28 malignant lesions and 7/8 benign lesions," she said.

"A possible diagnosis of benign lesion based on MRI features may improve patient care and decrease the number of unnecessary surgical procedures," said Tsili.

"MRI is an efficient diagnostic tool for the evaluation of testicular masses. 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 tumours," she said.

(Source: American College of Radiology: American Journal of Roentgenology: March 2010)