F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in the evaluation of distant metastases from renal cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
We conducted a study to evaluate the role of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in the detection of distant metastases from renal cell carcinoma (RCC).


METHODS
Twenty-four patients with histologically proven clear-cell RCC undergoing surgical evaluation for possible resection of recurrent disease were investigated. All patients had suspected distant metastases based on conventional anatomic imaging techniques (computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging). A total of 36 distant metastatic sites were identified. Pathology for all sites was obtained by biopsy or after surgical resection.


RESULTS
Histologically documented distant metastases from RCC were present in 33 sites (21 patients). Overall sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of FDG-PET for the detection of distant metastases from RCC was 63.6% (21 of 33), 100% (three of three), and 100% (21 of 21), respectively. The mean size of distant metastases in patients with true-positive FDG-PET was 2.2 cm (95% CI, 1.7 to 2.6 cm) compared with 1.0 cm in patients with false-negative FDG-PET (95% CI, 0.7 to 1.4 cm; P =.001).


CONCLUSIONS
FDG-PET is not a sensitive imaging modality for the evaluation of metastatic RCC and may not adequately characterize small metastatic lesions. However, positive FDG-PET is predictive for the presence of RCC in lesions imaged, may complement anatomic radiologic imaging modalities, and may alleviate the need for a biopsy in selected situations. A negative FDG-PET, however does not rule out active malignancy.
Majhail
Navneet S
NS
Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA.
Urbain
Jean-Luc
JL
Albani
Justin M
JM
Kanvinde
Mangesh H
MH
Rice
Thomas W
TW
Novick
Andrew C
AC
Mekhail
Tarek M
TM
Olencki
Thomas E
TE
Elson
Paul
P
Bukowski
Ronald M
RM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18