Ultrasound of Renal Masses

Incidental detection of malignancy on point-of-care renal ultrasound: A case series

Renal point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is an increasingly common initial imaging modality in the diagnostic workup of renal colic. The primary use of renal POCUS is to assess for hydronephrosis; however, other significant findings suggestive of malignancy can also be identified. We present three cases of unexpected findings identified initially on POCUS in the emergency department, which subsequently led to new diagnoses of malignancy. As renal POCUS becomes more frequently used in clinical practice, physicians must be able to recognise abnormal images that indicate possible malignancy and the need for further workup.

Ultrasound, CT, and MR Imaging for Evaluation of Cystic Renal Masses

Cystic renal masses are often encountered during abdominal imaging. Although most of them are benign simple cysts, some cystic masses have malignant characteristics. The Bosniak classification system provides a useful way to classify cystic masses. The Bosniak classification is based on the results of a well-established computed tomography protocol. Over the past 30 years, the classification system has been refined and improved. This paper reviews the literature on this topic and compares the advantages and disadvantages of different screening and classification methods. Patients will benefit from multimodal diagnosis for lesions that are difficult to classify after a single examination.

Cross-sectional imaging assessment of renal masses with emphasis on MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a useful complementary imaging tool for the diagnosis and characterization of renal masses, as it provides both morphologic and functional information. A core MRI protocol for renal imaging should include a T1-weighted sequence with in- and opposed-phase images (or, alternatively with DIXON technique), T2-weighted and diffusion-weighted images as well as a dynamic contrast-enhanced sequence with subtraction images, followed by a delayed post-contrast T1-weighted sequence. The main advantages of MRI over computed tomography include increased sensitivity for contrast enhancement, less sensitivity for detection of calcifications, absence of pseudoenhancement, and lack of radiation exposure. MRI may be applied for renal cystic lesion characterization, differentiation of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) from benign solid renal tumors, RCC histologic grading, staging, post-treatment follow-up, and active surveillance of patients with treated or untreated RCC.

Percutaneous versus Laparoscopic treatment for simple renal cysts: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To compare the percutaneous and laparoscopic treatment for renal cyst in order to determine the optimal therapy for patients with renal cyst.

METHODS

A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases was conducted for articles published through Jun 3, 2020 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines.

RESULTS

We found 493 studies form databases, and 6 were considered for the evidence synthesis. A total of 1631 cases were included. Of these patients, 488 cases undergone laparoscopic treatment, and 1143 cases undergone percutaneous treatment. Symptomatic and radiologic success were higher for laparoscopic treatment (odd ratio, OR, OR=3.59, 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.45-8.88, P=0.006; and OR=7.46, 95% CI 3.99-13.94, P<0.00001, respectively). Minor or severe complications were similar between the two treatments (OR=1.54, 95% CI 0.40-5.98, P=0.53; OR=3.13, 95% CI 0.03-359.76, P=0.64, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic treatment for renal cyst was associated with better symptomatic and radiologic success, and its complication was no more than percutaneous treatment.

The role of imaging in the management of renal masses

The wide availability of cross-sectional imaging is responsible for the increased detection of small, usually asymptomatic renal masses. More than 50 % of renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) represent incidental findings on noninvasive imaging. Multimodality imaging, including conventional US, contrast-enhanced US (CEUS), CT and multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) is pivotal in diagnosing and characterizing a renal mass, but also provides information regarding its prognosis, therapeutic management, and follow-up. In this review, imaging data for renal masses that urologists need for accurate treatment planning will be discussed. The role of US, CEUS, CT and mpMRI in the detection and characterization of renal masses, RCC staging and follow-up of surgically treated or untreated localized RCC will be presented. The role of percutaneous image-guided ablation in the management of RCC will be also reviewed.