2-Deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose-positron emission tomography in characterization of solid renal masses.
The present study was aimed to evaluate the ability of 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D -glucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) in characterization of solid renal masses visualized by computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with suspected or known malignancies.


METHODS
Twenty-eight solid renal masses (20 unilateral and four bilateral, Size ranges, 1.0-8.4 cm) were evaluated in 24 patients. The results were correlated with histopathology in 15 patients, and clinical follow-up and conventional imaging in all patients.


RESULTS
Of the 28 solid renal masses, 10 were primary (nine malignant, one benign) and 18 were metastatic renal tumors. FDG-PET accurately depicted 23 of 27 (85%) malignant renal masses. Of the 10 primary renal tumors, FDG-PET was true positive in eight of nine (89%), true negative in one and false negative in one. The maximum and average standardized uptake values (SUVs) for FDG positive primary renal malignant tumors were 7.9 +/- 4.9 and 6.0 +/- 3.6, respectively. In addition to the characterization of primary tumors, FDG-PET was valuable in primary staging and altered treatment in 30% of patients (three of 10). Of the 18 metastatic renal masses, FDG-PET was positive in 15 (83%) masses. The maximum and average SUVs of metastatic renal masses were 6.1+/- 3.4 and 4.7+/- 2.8, respectively. There was no significant difference in maximum and average SUVs between primary and metastatic renal masses (p=0.3 and p=0.3).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the physiological excretion of FDG by the kidneys, FDG-PET can be employed effectively in characterization of solid renal masses in patients with suspected or known malignancies. We propose that FDG-PET could be useful as a complimentary modality to conventional imaging in these patients.
Kumar
Rakesh
R
Department of Nuclear Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Chauhan
Anil
A
Lakhani
Paras
P
Xiu
Yan
Y
Zhuang
Hongming
H
Alavi
Abass
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*
D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18