Magnetic resonance versus computed tomography for the detection of retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis due to testicular cancer: A systematic literature review

Abstract

Introduction It is essential to see if MRI can be used as an alternative to CT for the detection of retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy in patients with testicular neoplasms. By doing so, the amount of radiation received by these young patients might be reduced. Material and methods A systematic literature review was carried out in 5 databases between January 1984 until December 2020. The articles included were randomized and non-randomized clinical trials, cross-sectional studies, cohort, case and control, and retrospective studies that compare the accuracy of MRI against CT to detect retroperitoneal lymph nodes in patients with testicular neoplasms. Results The search string initially retrieved 222 non duplicated papers from which a total of 3 studies of diagnostic accuracy were included for analysis. These articles evaluated a total of 127 patients with testicular neoplasm; the sample size per study ranged from 25 to 52 patients, with a mean age between 29–34 years. MRI presented a sensitivity ranging from 98−80% and specificity of 100 % when read by an experienced radiologist. However, when it was read by a radiologist with 1 year of experience, the sensitivity dropped to 78 % and specificity to 91%. Conclusion This systematic literature review shows a knowledge gap since not much has been published regarding this topic; therefore, randomized clinical trials are mandatory. Research on when to use MRI over CT is necessary to reduce radiation exposure. The authors strongly suggest that readers start researching on this subject.

The role of taurine in male reproduction: Physiology, pathology and toxicology

“…IR is widely used in areas such as medical nuclear energy and industrial manufacturing, and poses potential risks to human health. For example, acute doses can cause radiation burns and radiation sickness, while long-term low doses can lead to cancer ( 208 , 209 ). The testis, one of the most radiation-sensitive organs, can suffer significant damage from even low doses of radiation, such as sperm chromosome aberrations ( 210 ), motility decreased ( 211 ), swimming behavior impaired ( 212 ) and testis weights decreased ( 213 ).…”

Clinical and CT patterns to predict EGFR mutation in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis

“…All the articles found through the search strategy were blindly uploaded to Mendeley; subsequently, the duplicates were removed using the Mendeley duplicate detection tool [16] . When the duplicates were removed, the screening process was performed based on title and abstract.…”

Lymph Node Dissection in Testicular Cancer: The State of the Art and Future Perspectives

“…At present, CT remains the initial imaging modality for surveillance to assess retroperitoneal LNs [ 9 , 142 , 143 ]. Baessler et al carried out a research investigation [ 144 ] to assess the capability of CT radiomics in improving the prognostication of malignant histopathology in retroperitoneal lymph node metastases (LNM) from NSGCTs before post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND).…”

“…Some authors have suggested a more focused and concise MRI technique that specifically targets retroperitoneal lymph nodes, excluding inguinal and pelvic areas. This approach shortens the acquisition duration from roughly 30–35 min to just 12–13 min [ 9 , 11 ]. These recommendations align with guidance provided by ESMO and the Swedish and Norwegian Testicular Cancer Group (SWENOTECA), which endorse the utilization of contrast-enhanced CT scans for the initial staging and recommend employing retroperitoneal MRI for post-initial treatment follow-up to mitigate radiation exposure in individuals with TC [ 9 , 148 – 150 ].…”