title: [Computerized tomography findings score in the differentiation of adrenal tumors in patients with extra-adrenal malignomas].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In a retrospective study the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography for the differentiation of benign from malignant adrenal masses in patients with extra-adrenal malignancies was evaluated. For this differentiation a new score system was tested.
  
  
  METHODS
  Size, density, structure, and borders of adrenal masses in 60 patients with extra-adrenal tumours were analysed and scored. The single criteria and the total score values were correlated with the final diagnosis achieved either by histology or by follow-up CT examinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Score values above 4 indicated always metastases and score values below 2 were benign lesions. An overlap occurred at score values between 2 and 3 resulting in an overall accuracy of 83.3%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Single CT criteria are not reliable enough to differentiate benign from malignant adrenal lesions: better results are achieved by using our scoring system.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Röntgendiagnostik der Radiologischen Klinik, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gufler
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Buitrago-Tellez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laubenberger
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Tanyü
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mundinger
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000473:pathology; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed