Comparative analysis of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, dynamic contrast-enhanced CT, and their combination for adrenal tumor diagnosis in men

This study aimed to compare the diagnostic efficacy of dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT), dynamic contrast-enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and their combination in diagnosing adrenal tumors. 68 patients with adrenal tumors admitted to the hospital from December 2019 to December 2020 were selected. MRI and CT plain scans were performed on all patients, as well as dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging. As the gold standard for evaluating diagnostic efficacy, dynamic contrast-enhanced CT, dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, and their combination were compared with pathological examination results. To compare diagnostic method differences, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted. MRI contour rates at each delay point were significantly higher in adenoma patients than non-adenoma patients (p < 0.05). CT contour rates at each delay point were also significantly higher in adenoma patients than non-adenoma patients (p < 0.05). The sensitivity, accuracy and negative predictive value of the combined diagnostic examination were significantly higher than individual examinations (p < 0.05). Based on ROC curve analysis, dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, dynamic contrast-enhanced CT, and the combined diagnostic had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.818 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.696–0.940), 0.827 (95% CI: 0.706–0.949), and 0.908 (95% CI: 0.769–1.019), respectively. The combined diagnosis showed the largest AUC with significant differences (p < 0.05). The overall model quality analysis showed that the model values of single and combined indicators were greater than 0.5, and the highest value of the combined index was 0.80. In summary, the combination of dynamic-enhanced CT and dynamic-enhanced MRI is more effective at diagnosing adrenal tumors than either technique alone. Combination diagnoses can assist in diagnosing and treating adrenal tumors with high clinical application value.