Chest staging in testis cancer patients: imaging modality selection based upon risk assessment as determined by...

We compared chest computerized tomography (CT) to chest x-ray as chest staging modalities in testis cancer patients on the basis of abdominal CT findings. We identified 92 patients who presented with negative staging abdominal CT scans and 52 with abnormal abdominal CT scans. Of these patients 42 and 32, respectively, underwent a chest x-ray and chest CT concurrently as part of the initial staging evaluation. Dictated x-ray reports were used to compare study findings. Findings on chest x-ray and chest CT were considered concordant if both studies identified similar chest abnormalities. Findings were considered discordant if either study failed to identify an abnormality noted on the other test. Patient outcome during followup, response to therapy or chest pathology was used to discriminate benign from malignant radiological abnormalities. Radiographic chest abnormalities (chest x-ray and/or chest CT) were identified in 12 of the 42 patients with negative abdominal CT scans. Three of these 12 studies represented metastasis with the remainder being benign. Imaging results were concordant in all 3 patients with chest metastasis and 5 of 9 with benign chest disease. Chest x-ray identified abnormalities not observed on chest CT in 1 patient, with chest CT identifying abnormalities not observed on chest x-ray in 3. Radiographic chest abnormalities (chest x-ray and/or chest CT) were identified in 15 of 32 patients who had a positive abdominal CT. All chest lesions identified in these patients were believed to represent metastatic disease. Chest x-ray failed to identify abnormalities present on chest CT in 4 of the 15 patients. The use of chest CT as a staging modality in abdominal CT negative patients failed to increase diagnostic sensitivity relative to chest x-ray alone. However, in 32 patients with abnormal abdominal CT scans the use of chest x-ray alone would have missed intrathoracic metastatic disease in 4. These data suggest that chest x-ray may be the preferred initial chest staging study for testis cancer patients with negative abdominal CT, while chest CT is mandated in patients with abnormal abdominal CT.