Extraspinal Incidental Findings on Routine MRI of Lumbar Spine: Prevalence and Reporting Rates in 1278 Patients.
10.3348/kjr.2015.16.4.866
- Author:
Sedat Alpaslan TUNCEL
1
;
Bekir CAGLI
;
Aslan TEKATAS
;
Mehmet Yadigar KIRICI
;
Ercument UNLU
;
Hakan GENCHELLAC
Author Information
1. Department of Radiology, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Balkan Campus, Edirne 22000, Turkey. deusedattuncel@yahoo.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Incidental findings;
Magnetic resonance imaging;
Lumbar spine;
Extra-spinal findings
- MeSH:
Abdominal Neoplasms/pathology;
Adolescent;
Adult;
Aged;
Aged, 80 and over;
Female;
Humans;
*Incidental Findings;
Lumbar Vertebrae/*pathology;
Lumbosacral Region/*pathology;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Pelvis/pathology;
Prevalence;
Retrospective Studies;
Young Adult
- From:Korean Journal of Radiology
2015;16(4):866-873
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and reporting rate of incidental findings (IF) in adult outpatients undergoing lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Re-evaluation of a total of 1278 lumbar MRI images (collected from patients with a mean age of 50.5 years, range 16-91 years) captured between August 2010-August 2011 was done by a neuroradiologist and a musculoskeletal radiologist. IFs were classified according to organ or system (liver, gallbladder, kidney, bladder, uterus, ovary, lymph node, intestine and aorta). The rate of reporting of a range of IF was examined. The outcome of each patient's treatment was evaluated based on review of hospital records and by telephone interviews. RESULTS: A total of 253 IFs were found in 241 patients (18.8% of 1278). Among these, clinically significant IFs (n = 34) included: 2 renal masses (0.15%), 2 aortic aneurysms (0.15%), 2 cases of hydronephrosis (0.15%), 11 adrenal masses (0.86%), 7 lymphadenopathies (0.55%), 6 cases of endometrial or cervical thickening (0.47%), 1 liver hemangioma (0.08%), 1 pelvic fluid (0.08%) and 2 ovarian dermoid cysts (0.15%). Overall, 28% (71/253) of IFs were included in the clinical reports, while clinically significant findings were reported in 41% (14/34) of cases. CONCLUSION: Extraspinal IFs are commonly detected during a routine lumbar MRI, and many of these findings are not clinically significant. However, IFs including clinically important findings are occasionally omitted from formal radiological reports.
