Diagnostic Thresholds for Androgen-Producing Tumors or Pathologic Hyperandrogenism in Women Using Total Testosterone Concentrations Measured by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

August 2018 in “ Clinical Chemistry ”

Anu Sharma, Ekta Kapoor, Ravinder Singh, Alice Y. Chang, Dana Erickson

androgen-producing tumors pathologic hyperandrogenism total testosterone liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry biochemical hyperandrogenemia LC-MS/MS high testosterone levels

Studysummary This study determined that a total testosterone concentration of ≥5.1 nmol/L identified androgen-producing tumors in women with severe hyperandrogenemia, while a lower threshold of ≥2.2 nmol/L was found for diagnosing pathologic hyperandrogenism in postmenopausal women.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

The study aimed to establish diagnostic thresholds for total testosterone (TT) concentrations to screen for androgen-producing tumors (APTs) and postmenopausal pathologic hyperandrogenism using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Conducted at the Mayo Clinic, the retrospective cohort study included 369 women with TT ≥3.5 nmol/L, of which 89 were analyzed. The study found that the diagnostic threshold for identifying APT in women with severe biochemical hyperandrogenemia was TT ≥5.1 nmol/L, with a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 81%. For postmenopausal women, the threshold for pathologic hyperandrogenism was TT ≥2.2 nmol/L, with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 86%. The findings suggested that LC-MS/MS provided accurate thresholds for diagnosing these conditions.

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