Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27257145›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of endocrinology2016

MANAGEMENT OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Imaging for the diagnosis of malignancy in incidentally discovered adrenal masses: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Jacqueline Dinnes, Irina Bancos, Lavinia Ferrante di Ruffano, Vasileios Chortis, Clare Davenport, Susan Bayliss, Anju Sahdev, Peter Guest, Martin Fassnacht, Jonathan J Deeks and 1 more

Open access · hybridAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of endocrinology, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 70 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
70citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
17.6field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

70 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 218 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  4. Review
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  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Natural history of large adrenal tumors.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026
    Article
  11. Review
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Adrenocortical carcinoma classified as benign: the limitations of washout values.Endocrinology, diabetes & metabolism case reports · 2025
    Article
  15. Review
  16. [18Endocrine · 2025
    Article
  17. Review
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  19. Article
  20. Review

10 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 6 institutions in 4 countries.

Jacqueline DinnesInstitute of Applied Health Research.
Irina BancosInstitute of Metabolism and Systems ResearchUniversity of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK Division of EndocrinologyMetabolism, Nutrition and Diabetes, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Lavinia Ferrante di RuffanoInstitute of Applied Health Research.
Vasileios ChortisInstitute of Metabolism and Systems ResearchUniversity of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Clare DavenportInstitute of Applied Health Research.
Susan BaylissInstitute of Applied Health Research.
Anju SahdevDepartment of ImagingSt Bartholomew's Hospital, Barts Health, London, UK.
Peter GuestDepartment of RadiologyQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.
Martin FassnachtDepartment of Internal Medicine IDivision of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Hospital Würzburg, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany Comprehensive Cancer Center MainfrankenUniversity of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Jonathan J DeeksInstitute of Applied Health Research.
Wiebke ArltInstitute of Metabolism and Systems ResearchUniversity of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK Centre for EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham, UK w.arlt@bham.ac.uk.
University of Applied Health Sciences · HRUniversity of Birmingham · GBMayo Clinic · USSt Bartholomew's Hospital · GBUniversity Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust · GBUniversity of Würzburg · DE

Funding

Cancer Research UK 15622Medical Research Council G0801473
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAdrenal masses are incidentally discovered in 5% of CT scans. In 2013/2014, 81 million CT examinations were undertaken in the USA and 5 million in the UK. However, uncertainty remains around the optimal imaging approach for diagnosing malignancy. We aimed to review the evidence on the accuracy of imaging tests for differentiating malignant from benign adrenal masses.

designA systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted.

methodsWe searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL Register of Controlled Trials, Science Citation Index, Conference Proceedings Citation Index, and ZETOC (January 1990 to August 2015). We included studies evaluating the accuracy of CT, MRI, or (18)F-fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG)-PET compared with an adequate histological or imaging-based follow-up reference standard.

resultsWe identified 37 studies suitable for inclusion, after screening 5469 references and 525 full-text articles. Studies evaluated the accuracy of CT (n=16), MRI (n=15), and FDG-PET (n=9) and were generally small and at high or unclear risk of bias. Only 19 studies were eligible for meta-analysis. Limited data suggest that CT density >10HU has high sensitivity for detection of adrenal malignancy in participants with no prior indication for adrenal imaging, that is, masses with ≤10HU are unlikely to be malignant. All other estimates of test performance are based on too small numbers.

conclusionsDespite their widespread use in routine assessment, there is insufficient evidence for the diagnostic value of individual imaging tests in distinguishing benign from malignant adrenal masses. Future research is urgently needed and should include prospective test validation studies for imaging and novel diagnostic approaches alongside detailed health economics analysis.

Indexed as

Incidental FindingsMagnetic Resonance ImagingPositron-Emission TomographyTomography, X-Ray ComputedAdrenal Gland NeoplasmsHumansSensitivity and Specificity

Identifiers

PMID27257145
PMCPMC5065077
OpenAlexW2416632542

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.