Comparison of CT analyses of primary renal cell carcinoma and of metastatic neoplasms of the kidney

Abstract

Background and purpose. We compared the computed tomography (CT) findings in 25 patients, in 10 with pathologically proven metastases in the kidney and in 15 with renal cell carcinoma to establish the difference on CT scan.

Patients and methods. All 25 patients with kidney neoplasm were analysed by the conventional contrastenhanced CT criteria. Imaging initiated 2 min after intravenous contrast injection.

Results. The sensitivity of CT to discriminate renal cell carcinoma from renal metastases and to discriminate renal metastases from renal cell carcinoma were 98 % and 70 %, respectively.

Conclusions. This study indicates that CT could be useful in clinical practice for distinguishing renal cell carcinoma and metastatic neoplasms of the kidney.