Computed tomography criteria in predicting malignancy in solid renal mass

Abstract EN

The increasing indications for imaging modalities (abdominal US, CT, MRI) has led to increased incidental detection of solid renal masses with concomitant increase in the rate of benign and malignant lesions encountered.

There are a number of tumor characteristics that may aid in their more specific identification by imaging techniques.

Such features include size, location, gross morphology, fat content, and degree of vascularity, nature of vascularity, and growth rate.

This study aimed to evaluate some CT criteria that can predict malignancy in solid renal mass.

This prospective study was conducted on 35 cases with solid renal mass, the examination done at Alimamain Alkadhimain Medical City, Department of Radiology.

The study done at period from September 2013 to August 2014.

Patients were referred to CT (from urology department) for evaluation of solid renal mass seen by other investigation (mostly US).

In all patients CT done native and nephrographic phase.

We analyze size, site, density, calcification and presence of fat.

This study considered with 31 cases of renal masses on unenhanced CT, 16 masses (51.6%) were homogenous, 11 were hypodense (68.7%) and 5(31.3%) were isodense.

While 15 masses (48.4%) were heterogeneous.

Post IV contrast showed that all malignant tumor have significant enhancement, majority showed heterogeneous enhancement 24 (77.4%).

In our study, we found that there is a significant association between heterogeneous contrast enhancement and malignant nature of the mass.

The study shows that no association between calcification and malignancy in renal masses.

On the other hand, presence of fat is significant for mass being benign.