BACKGROUND: There is suggestion that testicular microlithiasis predicts risk of testicular malignancy, especially testicular germ cell tumors.
This association remains uncertain.
OBJECTIVE: We retrospectively reviewed testicular germ cell tumor occurrence in patients with testicular microlithiasis to assess this association and determined the prevalence of testicular microlithiasis in symptomatic boys.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was IRB and HIPAA compliant. Two-thousand six-hundred twenty-five testicular US exams performed on 2,266 children (younger than 19 years of age) in our institution from 2000 through 2011 were reviewed for presence of testicular microlithiasis and masses. Testicular microlithiasis was defined as presence of five or more testicular microcalcifications on a single US image. Incidence of testicular germ cell tumors was calculated in a group of patients with testicular microlithiasis and in a control group without testicular microlithiasis. Relative risk, odds ratio, 90% and 95%CI were calculated.
RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients out of 2,266 had testicular microlithiasis. One child was found to have both testicular germ cell tumor and testicular microlithiasis. In 2,179 children without testicular microlithiasis, 8 had testicular germ cell tumors. Incidence of testicular microlithiasis was 3.8%. Incidence of testicular germ cell tumors in testicular microlithiasis patients was 1.2%, and 0.38% in non-testicular microlithiasis patients. Relative risk of testicular germ cell tumors in testicular microlithiasis patients vs. non-testicular microlithiasis patients was 3.13 (90%CI: 0.55-17.76; 95%CI: 0.40-24.76), odds ratio 3.16 (90%CI: 0.55-18.32; 95%CI: 0.39-25.5).
CONCLUSION: There is no association between testicular microlithiasis and testicular germ cell tumors. We had hoped to do a meta-analysis, but only two studies had a sufficient case control group of non-testicular microlithiasis patients.
Written by:
Volokhina YV, Oyoyo UE, Miller JH. Are you the author?
Department of Radiology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, 11234 Anderson St., Schuman Pavilion, Room 2605-E, Loma Linda, CA, 92354, USA.
Reference: Pediatr Radiol. 2013 Sep 13. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1007/s00247-013-2778-y
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 24026852
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