Contribution of 11C-choline positron emission tomography/computerized tomography to preoperative staging of advanced transitional cell carcinoma
- PMID: 16890661
- DOI: 10.1016/j.juro.2006.04.018
Contribution of 11C-choline positron emission tomography/computerized tomography to preoperative staging of advanced transitional cell carcinoma
Abstract
Purpose: Current imaging modalities for preoperative staging of advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder or upper urinary tract are not sensitive for detection of metastases. This study examines the contribution of 11C-choline positron emission tomography/computerized tomography to preoperative staging of transitional cell carcinoma.
Materials and methods: We prospectively evaluated 18 patients with 19 advanced transitional cell carcinomas (17 bladder tumors and 2 upper tract transitional cell carcinomas). All patients had computerized tomography of the chest, abdomen and pelvis negative for metastases. 11C-choline positron emission tomography/computerized tomography was performed on a Discovery ST(R) positron emission tomography/computerized tomography system. Finally 16 patients underwent radical surgery and positron emission tomography/computerized tomography images were compared to histopathological findings. Two patients were not operated on due to the findings on 11C-choline positron emission tomography/computerized tomography.
Results: 11C-choline uptake was found in all primary transitional cell carcinomas, with a maximum standardized uptake value of 7.3 +/- 3.2 (mean +/- SD). The series included 3 patients with refractory bladder carcinoma in situ, which was visualized in all 3, with a standardized uptake value of 6.9 +/- 5.6. In 6 patients uptake of 11C-choline in lymph nodes as small as 5 mm was visualized (standardized uptake value 3.8 +/- 1.4). Of these patients 4 underwent surgery and histopathology confirmed malignancy in 3 of 4. No additional patients with positive lymph nodes were found on histopathology. Metastases were visualized in bones with normal architecture on computerized tomography in 4 patients (standardized uptake value 5.2 +/- 1.1) and were confirmed by followup computerized tomography.
Conclusions: In this small series 11C-choline positron emission tomography/computerized tomography was highly sensitive for primary and metastatic transitional cell carcinoma. Carcinoma in situ, lymph node metastases and early bony metastases were visualized. 11C-choline positron emission tomography/computerized tomography is a promising tool for preoperative staging of advanced transitional cell carcinoma.
Comment in
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Combined metabolic/anatomical imaging in urologic oncology.J Urol. 2006 Sep;176(3):863. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2006.06.102. J Urol. 2006. PMID: 16890639 No abstract available.
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Re: contribution of 11C-choline positron emission tomography/computerized tomography to preoperative staging of advance transitional cell carcinoma.Eur Urol. 2007 Feb;51(2):569-70. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2006.09.042. Eur Urol. 2007. PMID: 17396297 No abstract available.
