Skip to main content
Log in

Bosniak classification version 2019: a prospective comparison of CT and MRI

  • Urogenital
  • Published:
European Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To assess the diagnostic accuracy and agreement of CT and MRI in terms of the Bosniak classification version 2019 (BCv2019).

Materials and methods

A prospective multi-institutional study enrolled 63 patients with 67 complicated cystic renal masses (CRMs) discovered during ultrasound examination. All patients underwent CT and MRI scans and histopathology. Three radiologists independently assessed CRMs using BCv2019 and assigned Bosniak class to each CRM using CT and MRI. The final analysis included 60 histopathologically confirmed CRMs (41 were malignant and 19 were benign).

Results

Discordance between CT and MRI findings was noticed in 50% (30/60) CRMs when data were analyzed in terms of the Bosniak classes. Of these, 16 (53.3%) were malignant. Based on consensus reviewing, there was no difference in the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the BCv2019 with MRI and BCv2019 with CT (87.8%; 95% CI = 73.8–95.9% versus 75.6%; 95% CI = 59.7–87.6%; p = 0.09, 84.2%; 95% CI = 60.4–96.6% versus 78.9%; 95% CI = 54.4–93.9%; p = 0.5, and 86.7%; 95% CI = 64.0–86.6% versus 76.7%; 95% CI = 75.4–94.1%; p = 0.1, respectively). The number and thickness of septa and the presence of enhanced nodules accounted for the majority of variations in Bosniak classes between CT and MRI. The inter-reader agreement (IRA) was substantial for determining the Bosniak class in CT and MRI (k = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.54–0.76, k = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.50–0.73, respectively). The inter-modality agreement of the BCv219 between CT and MRI was moderate (κ = 0.58).

Conclusion

In terms of BCv2019, CT and MRI are comparable in the classification of CRMs with no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy and reliability.

Key Points

There is no significant difference in the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the BCv2019 with MRI and BCv2019 with CT.

The number of septa and their thickness and the presence of enhanced nodules accounted for the majority of variations in Bosniak classes between CT and MRI.

The inter-reader agreement was substantial for determining the Bosniak class in CT and MRI and the inter-modality agreement of the BCv219 between CT and MRI was moderate.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

BC:

Bosniak classification

BCv2019:

Bosniak classification version 2019

CRMs:

Cystic renal masses

CI:

Confidence interval

CT:

Computed tomography

ICC:

Intraclass correlation coefficient

IRA:

Inter-reader agreement

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

RCC:

Renal cell carcinoma

References

  1. Herts BR, Silverman SG, Hindman NM et al (2018) Management of the incidental renal mass on CT: a white paper of the ACR Incidental Findings Committee. J Am Coll Radiol 15(2):264–273

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Wood CG III, Stromberg LJ III, Harmath CB et al (2015) CT and MR imaging for evaluation of cystic renal lesions and diseases. Radiographics 35(1):125–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Silverman SG, Israel GM, Herts BR, Richie JP (2008) Management of the incidental renal mass. Radiology 249(1):16–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Chandrasekar T, Ahmad AE, Fadaak K et al (2018) Natural history of complex renal cysts: clinical evidence supporting active surveillance. J Urol 99(3):633–640

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Nicolau C, Antunes N, Paño B, Sebastia C (2021) Imaging characterization of renal masses. Medicina (Kaunas) 57(1):51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Hartman DS, Choyke PL, Hartman MS (2004) From the RSNA refresher courses: a practical approach to the cystic renal mass. Radiographics 24(suppl_1):S101–S115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Hélénon O, Crosnier A, Verkarre V, Merran S, Méjean A, Correas JM (2018) Simple and complex renal cysts in adults: classification system for renal cystic masses. Diagn Interv Imaging 99(4):189–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Tsili AC, Andriotis E, Gkeli MG et al (2021) The role of imaging in the management of renal masses. Eur J Radiol 141:109777

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Bosniak MA (1968) The current radiological approach to renal cysts. Radiology 158(1):1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Israel GM, Hindman N, Bosniak MA (2004) Evaluation of cystic renal masses: comparison of CT and MR imaging by using the Bosniak classification system. Radiology 231(2):365–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Israel GM, Bosniak MA (2005) An update of the Bosniak renal cyst classification system. Urology 66(3):484–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Bosniak MA (2012) The Bosniak renal cyst classification: 25 years later. Radiology 262(3):781–785

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Silverman SG, Pedrosa I, Ellis JH et al (2019) Bosniak classification of cystic renal masses, version 2019: an update proposal and needs assessment. Radiology 292(2):475–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Schieda N, Davenport MS, Krishna S et al (2021) Bosniak classification of cystic renal masses, version 2019: a pictorial guide to clinical use. Radiographics 41(3):814–828

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Tse JR, Shen J, Shen L, Yoon L, Kamaya A (2021) Bosniak classification of cystic renal masses version 2019: comparison of categorization using CT and MRI. AJR Am J Roentgenol 216(2):412–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Chan J, Yan JH, Munir J et al (2021) Comparison of Bosniak classification of cystic renal masses version 2019 assessed by CT and MRI. Abdom Radiol (NY) 46(11):5268–5276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Park MY, Park KJ, Kim MH, Kim JK (2021) Bosniak classification of cystic renal masses version 2019: comparison to version 2005 for class distribution, diagnostic performance, and interreader agreement using CT and MRI. AJR Am J Roentgenol 217(6):1367–1376

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Sevcenco S, Spick C, Helbich TH et al (2017) Malignancy rates and diagnostic performance of the Bosniak classification for the diagnosis of cystic renal lesions in computed tomography–a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Radiol 27(6):2239–2247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Tse JR, Shen J, Yoon L, Kamaya A (2020) Bosniak classification version 2019 of cystic renal masses assessed with MRI. AJR Am J Roentgenol 215(2):413–419

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Ziani I, Ibrahimi A, Dergamoun H et al (2020) Atypical renal cysts: is MRI a compulsory examination in 2020 before therapeutic management? Open J Urol 10(10):253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Bai X, Sun SM, Xu W et al (2020) MRI-based Bosniak Classification of cystic renal masses, version 2019: interobserver agreement, impact of readers’ experience, and diagnostic performance. Radiology 297(3):597–605

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Ferreira AM, Reis RB, Kajiwara PP et al (2016) MRI evaluation of complex renal cysts using the Bosniak classification: a comparison to CT. Abdom Radiol (NY) 41(10):2011–2019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Kim WB, Lee SW, Doo SW et al (2012) Category migration of renal cystic masses with use of gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Korean J Urol 53(8):573–576

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Graumann O, Osther SS, Karstoft J, Hørlyck A, Osther PJ (2016) Bosniak classification system: a prospective comparison of CT, contrast-enhanced US, and MR for categorizing complex renal cystic masses. Acta Radiol 57(11):1409–1417

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Krishna S, Schieda N, Pedrosa I et al (2021) Update on MRI of cystic renal masses including Bosniak version 2019. J Magn Reson Imaging 54(2):341–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Israel GM, Bosniak MA (2008) Pitfalls in renal mass evaluation and how to avoid them. Radiographics 28(5):1325–1338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Israel GM, Bosniak MA (2005) How I do it: evaluating renal masses. Radiology 236(2):441–450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Zhong J, Cao F, Guan X, Chen J, Ding Z, Zhang M (2017) Renal cyst masses (Bosniak category II-III) may be over evaluated by the Bosniak criteria based on MR findings. Medicine (Baltimore) 96(51):e9361

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Vogel DW, Kiss B, Heverhagen JT et al (2021) Prospective comparison of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging to computer tomography for the evaluation of complex cystic renal lesions. Urology 154:320–325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Sun M, Wang C, Jiang F, Fang X, Guo B (2019) Diagnostic value and clinical significance of ultrasound combined with CT in cystic renal cell carcinoma. Oncol Lett 18(2):1395–1401

    Google Scholar 

  31. Shampain KL, Shankar PR, Troost JP et al (2021) Interrater agreement of Bosniak classification version 2019 and version 2005 for cystic renal masses at CT and MRI. Radiology 302(2):357–366

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Lucocq J, Pillai S, Oparka R, Nabi G (2021) Complex renal cysts (Bosniak ≥IIF): interobserver agreement, progression and malignancy rates. Eur Radiol 31(2):901–908

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Barr RG, Peterson C, Hindi A (2014) Evaluation of indeterminate renal masses with contrast-enhanced US: a diagnostic performance study. Radiology 271(1):133–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors of this research would like to express their gratitude to the Ministry of Education and the Deanship of Scientific Research, Najran University. They also thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its financial and technical support under code number NU/NRP/MRC/11/21.

Funding

This study has received funding from the Deanship of Scientific Research, Najran University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, grant number NU/NRP/MRC/11/21.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Abd Alkhalik Basha.

Ethics declarations

Guarantor

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Mohammad Abd Alkhalik Basha.

Conflict of interest

The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article.

Statistics and biometry

One of the authors has significant statistical expertise.

Informed consent

Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects (patients) in this study.

Ethical approval

Institutional Review Board approval was obtained.

Methodology

  • prospective

  • diagnostic or prognostic study

  • multi-center study

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary information

ESM 1

(PDF 143 kb)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Almalki, Y.E., Basha, M.A.A., Refaat, R. et al. Bosniak classification version 2019: a prospective comparison of CT and MRI. Eur Radiol 33, 1286–1296 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-022-09044-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-022-09044-3

Keywords

Navigation