BACKGROUND: Various malignant tumors of the body show high signal intensity on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI). In the genitourinary region, DWI is expected to have a role in detecting urinary epithelial cancer noninvasively. PURPOSE: To demonstrate the feasibility of DWI for the diagnosis of urinary epithelial cancer with upper urinary tract obstruction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty upper urinary tract cancers in 16 patients were evaluated by high-b-value DWI (b=800 s/mm(2)). The signal intensity was visually evaluated, and the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) were measured. RESULTS: All urinary epithelial cancers showed high signal intensity on DWI. The ADC in cancerous lesions was 1.31+/-0.27 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s, which was significantly lower than that of the lumens of the ureter or renal pelvis (3.32+/-0.44 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s; P<0.001). Maximum intensity projection images of DWI in combination with static-fluid MR urography provided three-dimensional entire urinary tract imaging with the extension of tumors. CONCLUSION: DWI is useful in the tumor detection and in evaluating the tumor extension of urinary epithelial cancer in patients with upper urinary tract obstruction.
BACKGROUND: Various malignant tumors of the body show high signal intensity on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI). In the genitourinary region, DWI is expected to have a role in detecting urinary epithelial cancer noninvasively. PURPOSE: To demonstrate the feasibility of DWI for the diagnosis of urinary epithelial cancer with upper urinary tract obstruction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty upper urinary tract cancers in 16 patients were evaluated by high-b-value DWI (b=800 s/mm(2)). The signal intensity was visually evaluated, and the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) were measured. RESULTS: All urinary epithelial cancers showed high signal intensity on DWI. The ADC in cancerous lesions was 1.31+/-0.27 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s, which was significantly lower than that of the lumens of the ureter or renal pelvis (3.32+/-0.44 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s; P<0.001). Maximum intensity projection images of DWI in combination with static-fluid MR urography provided three-dimensional entire urinary tract imaging with the extension of tumors. CONCLUSION: DWI is useful in the tumor detection and in evaluating the tumor extension of urinary epithelial cancer in patients with upper urinary tract obstruction.
Authors: A Sufana Iancu; P Colin; P Puech; A Villers; A Ouzzane; J C Fantoni; X Leroy; L Lemaitre Journal: World J Urol Date: 2012-09-21 Impact factor: 4.226