[Utility of computerized tomography in determining the extent of infiltrating bladder tumors: our experience].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the reliability of bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) staging, comparing findings on computerized tomography (CT) with pathologic results after radical cystectomy.


METHODS
We retrospectively review 115 consecutive patients with bladder TCC undergoing radical cystectomy. Preoperative CT findings were compared with pathology results obtained after cystectomy and lymphadenectomy.


RESULTS
We found that as a whole CT showed a tendency to local overstaging of 27.8% for tumours infiltrating bladder wall only, and understaging of 36.5% Regarding lymph nodes involvement, CT overstaged 4.6% of patients and understaged 23.8%. CT was capable to detect only 7.15% pN positive cases. CT was unable to detect the only patient with intra-abdominal metastatic involvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Abdomino-pelvic CT has real limitations to detect extra vesical extension and lymph node metastasis in patients with bladder TCC.
Servicio de Urología, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedó, Asturias, España.
Antonio
A
Jalón Monzón
Jesús M
JM
Fernández Gómez
Jorge
J
García Rodríguez
Oscar
O
Rodríguez Faba
Juan Javier
JJ
Rodríguez Martínez
Javier
J
Regadera Sejas
D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015653:Cystectomy; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery