Optimized imaging techniques for testicular masses: fast and with high accuracy

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of the diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) of the differentiation of benign and malignant testicular masses.

Methods: Fifteen male patients who admitted to our clinic with the diagnosis of testicular mass detected by ultrasound were enrolled to this study. The patients were between 20 and 61 years old (mean 25.7). Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were measured from ADC maps of lesion and normal testicular tissue. In addition, mean signal intensity (SI) measurements were obtained by using b: 1,000 of normal testicular tissue and lesion with three regions of interest (ROI). SI ratio values are obtained by dividing the value lesion SI to the normal testicular parenchyma SI. Histopathology of orchiectomy materials and ADC values and lesion SI rates were compared statistically.

Results: There were no significant correlation (p = 0.97) between ADC values of benign and malign lesions and histopathological diagnosis in Student's t test. There were statistically significant relationship with the histopathology of the lesion and the SI ratio in Student's t test (p = 0.027).

Conclusions: DWI is an effective method in differentiation of benign and malignant testicular masses. Important information can be obtained about nature of testis masses with quantitative measurements of the ADC and ratio of SI.