Positron emission tomography detection of osseous metastases of renal cell carcinoma not identified on bone scan.
The clinical utility of positron emission tomography (PET) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has not been determined. We describe a case in which metastatic RCC undetected by traditional staging methods was accurately staged by PET. A 77-year-old man presented with a 20-lb weight loss and bilateral renal masses. Plain radiographs, bone scintigraphy, and alkaline phosphatase were normal. PET imaging confirmed the right renal mass and revealed several metastatic bone lesions, confirmed by biopsy. The patient died 7 months after diagnosis. This case illustrates the potential superiority of PET in evaluating skeletal metastases of RCC.
Seto
E
E
Section of Urology, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA.
Segall
G M
GM
Terris
M K
MK
D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D007085:Ilium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed