ScienceDaily (Dec. 6, 2007) — A study by researchers at Rhode Island Hospital has determined that the vast majority of incidentally found adrenal masses identified in CT scans in patients without known malignancy are benign.

The study, led by radiologist Julie Song, M.D., examined 973 patients with 1,049 adrenal masses in order to describe the prevalence of pathology in adrenal masses incidentally identified on CT. According to the study, 1,045 of the 1,049 adrenal masses were confirmed to be benign and clinically insignificant. The study showed no metastasis even among the 14 patients who later developed malignancy elsewhere.

“Adrenal masses are common and are frequently found incidentally on CT. Our study has shown that the overwhelming majority of these masses are benign when found in patients with no known cancer. The implications of this study may save many patients from further exams,” said Song, who’s also an assistant professor of diagnostic imaging (clinical) at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

Co-authors were Fakhra Chaudhry, M.D. and William Mayo-Smith, M.D. of Rhode Island Hospital and Alpert Medical School. 

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