title: Can "Tumor-to-Cortex Echogenicity Ratio" Differentiate Angiomyolipomas from Other Hyper-Echoic Renal Masses.
abstract: A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of tumor-to-cortex echogenicity ratio (TCER) in the characterization of hyper-echoic renal masses. The radiology database was queried between 2012 and 2014 for hyper-echoic renal masses on the basis of defined exclusion and inclusion criteria. Each included mass was characterized as either an angiomyolipoma (AML) or a non-AML based on pre-defined criteria. The ratio of renal mass echogenicity to that of adjacent renal cortex (TCER) was calculated for each mass using commercially available software. A total of 70 masses in 65 patients were identified, including 49 AMLs. TCER values >2.26 were associated with a sensitivity and specificity of 81.6% and 71.4%, respectively, for diagnosis of AML. Moreover, TCER values >3.98 resulted in 100% specificity for AML diagnosis with a sensitivity of 28.6%. These findings suggest that the TCER may be a valuable tool for the characterization of hyper-echoic renal masses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Peiman
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Habibollahi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Electronic address: Anil.Chauhan@uphs.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Laith R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Sultan
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Chandra M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sehgal
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D018207:Angiomyolipoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007672:Kidney Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
keywords: Angiomyolipoma; Echogenic renal mass; Echogenicity; Renal cell carcinoma