Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Differentiate the Histology of Testicular Masses: A Systematic Review of Studies With Pathologic Confirmation.

Ultrasound is the imaging modality of choice to evaluate scrotal pathology. However, differentiating malignant and benign testicular tumors is not always possible, and there is interest in evaluating magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a potential adjunct for diagnosis. We conducted a systematic review and found 9 studies related to MRI diagnosis of testicular masses. A total of 220 testicular masses (217 patients) undergoing MRI were identified. Notable findings include malignant masses having a lower apparent diffusion coefficient compared to benign masses (3 of 4 studies) and that quantitative enhancement patterns could differentiate Leydig cell tumors from germ cell tumors in 2 studies. While there were some distinct qualitative characterizations of testicular masses on MRI, further research is needed to identify appropriate clinical contexts for use.