Incidental findings
Encyclopedia
Incidental findings are previously undiagnosed medical or psychiatric conditions that are discovered unintentionally and are unrelated to the current medical or psychiatric condition which is being treated or tests being performed. Incidental findings may be uncovered in a variety of settings such as in test subjects during medical research during the course of an autopsy
or during genetic testing
etc.
is a tumor
found by coincidence which is often benign and does not cause any clinically significant symptom
s, however a small yet significant percentage do turn out to be malignant. Incidentaloma are common with up to 7% of all patients over 60 may harbor a benign growth, often of the adrenal gland
, which is detected when diagnostic imaging
is used for the analysis of unrelated symptoms.
With the increase of "whole-body CT scanning" as part of health screening programs, the chance of finding incidentalomas is expected to increase. 37% of patients receiving whole-body CT scan may have abnormal findings that need further evaluation.
Even in healthy subects acting as controls in research incidental findings are not rare.
s that occur in the pituitary gland
, and account for about 15% of intracranial neoplasms
. They often remain undiagnosed, and are often an incidental finding during autopsy. Microadenomas (<10mm) have an estimated prevalence of 16.7% (14.4% in autopsy
studies and 22.5% in radiologic
studies).
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
or during genetic testing
Genetic testing
Genetic testing is among the newest and most sophisticated of techniques used to test for genetic disorders which involves direct examination of the DNA molecule itself. Other genetic tests include biochemical tests for such gene products as enzymes and other proteins and for microscopic...
etc.
Incidentalomas
An incidentalomaIncidentaloma
In medicine, an incidentaloma is a tumor found by coincidence without clinical symptoms or suspicion. It is a common problem: up to 7% of all patients over 60 may harbor a benign growth, often of the adrenal gland, which is detected when diagnostic imaging is used for the analysis of unrelated...
is a tumor
Tumor
A tumor or tumour is commonly used as a synonym for a neoplasm that appears enlarged in size. Tumor is not synonymous with cancer...
found by coincidence which is often benign and does not cause any clinically significant symptom
Symptom
A symptom is a departure from normal function or feeling which is noticed by a patient, indicating the presence of disease or abnormality...
s, however a small yet significant percentage do turn out to be malignant. Incidentaloma are common with up to 7% of all patients over 60 may harbor a benign growth, often of the adrenal gland
Adrenal gland
In mammals, the adrenal glands are endocrine glands that sit atop the kidneys; in humans, the right suprarenal gland is triangular shaped, while the left suprarenal gland is semilunar shaped...
, which is detected when diagnostic imaging
Radiology
Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases...
is used for the analysis of unrelated symptoms.
With the increase of "whole-body CT scanning" as part of health screening programs, the chance of finding incidentalomas is expected to increase. 37% of patients receiving whole-body CT scan may have abnormal findings that need further evaluation.
In neuroimagging
Incidental findings in neuroimagging is common with the prevalence of neoplastic incidental brain findings increasing with age.Even in healthy subects acting as controls in research incidental findings are not rare.
Pituitary adenomas
Pituitary adenomas are tumorTumor
A tumor or tumour is commonly used as a synonym for a neoplasm that appears enlarged in size. Tumor is not synonymous with cancer...
s that occur in the pituitary gland
Pituitary gland
In vertebrate anatomy the pituitary gland, or hypophysis, is an endocrine gland about the size of a pea and weighing 0.5 g , in humans. It is a protrusion off the bottom of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain, and rests in a small, bony cavity covered by a dural fold...
, and account for about 15% of intracranial neoplasms
Neoplasia
Neoplasm is an abnormal mass of tissue as a result of neoplasia. Neoplasia is the abnormal proliferation of cells. The growth of neoplastic cells exceeds and is not coordinated with that of the normal tissues around it. The growth persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the...
. They often remain undiagnosed, and are often an incidental finding during autopsy. Microadenomas (<10mm) have an estimated prevalence of 16.7% (14.4% in autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
studies and 22.5% in radiologic
Medical imaging
Medical imaging is the technique and process used to create images of the human body for clinical purposes or medical science...
studies).