Renal cell cancer and positron emission tomography - An evolving diagnostic and therapeutic relationship

Abstract

The incidence of Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) is increasing at all stages. Thus, there is a need to develop more accurate and reliable methods of diagnosing, staging and treating the disease. The role of positron emission tomography (PET) is still evolving with regard to the diagnosis, staging and management of RCC. At present, the assessment of renal masses and primary staging of RCC are reasonably well investigated using computed tomography and ultrasound. However, many masses are still excised that are benign or understaged. PET with 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) has been useful with re-staging RCC and in certain cases where conventional studies, including bone scan, are inconclusive. The va..