Computed tomographic staging of testicular tumours: an unexpected source of error

Retroperitoneal hematoma following radical orchiectomy: Two cases

Treatment of testicular cancer is dependent on the stage of disease at presentation. Stage 1 testicular cancer is treated with radical orchiectomy, followed by active surveillance, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy. Occasionally, unusual and unexpected postoperative changes can be seen on computed tomography (CT), and may raise concern for metastatic disease. Here, we present two cases of testicular cancer patients who developed retroperitoneal hematomas post-radical orchiectomy, one as a classical clinical presentation, and the other as an atypical radiological entity only. The first is a case of a 38-year-old male with a non-seminoma testicular cancer, who developed severe flank pain, hemodynamic instability, and progressive anemia from a retroperitoneal hematoma in the immediate (<24 hours) postoperative period, requiring urgent surgical evacuation. The second is a case of a 33-year-old male with a testicular seminoma who had a large, suspicious retroperitoneal mass on a staging CT scan concerning for metastatic disease, which was later diagnosed as a retroperitoneal hematoma. These cases reveal the clinical variability with which a retroperitoneal hematoma post-radical orchiectomy may present. In addition, the second case demonstrates the importance of recognizing radiological postoperative changes and ensuring that these findings are not mistaken for and treated as metastatic disease.

Postorchiectomy intrascrotal hematoma mimicking local recurrence on 18F-FDG PET/CT: a diagnostic dilemma

Intratesticular hematomas usually develop immediately after orchiectomy is done for testicular tumors and may last for 3 to 6 weeks or longer. They may be confused with local recurrence on clinical examination and imaging. We present the (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) images of a 30-year-old man who underwent right radical transinguinal orchiectomy for seminoma. PET/CT done 8 weeks after orchiectomy revealed a soft tissue lesion in the right scrotum with increased FDG uptake, suspicious for local recurrence. However, on color Doppler ultrasonography of the scrotum, the mass was confirmed to be a hematoma.

Inguinal and iliac lymph node involvement in germ cell tumours of the testis: implications for radiological investigation and for therapy

The clinical details of 1191 patients with primary germ cell tumours of the testis seen at the Royal Marsden Hospital between 1977 and 1989 were reviewed in order to determine the incidence of inguinal or iliac node metastases. This was detected in 22 patients, 11 with inguinal and 11 with iliac lymphadenopathy. Seven of these patients had a history of maldescent and orchidopexy, and one patient had congenitally fused testes. Of the remaining 14 patients, eight had bulky para-aortic lymphadenopathy (5 cm or greater in diameter), one had histological evidence of breach of the tunica vaginalis by tumour, and in five patients no predisposing factors were identified. Eight patients had a seminoma, 11 a non-seminoma, and two a combined tumour. Inguinal or iliac nodes were significantly more common in the group of patients defined by bulky para-aortic disease or a history of maldescent and orchidopexy (15/267) than those without either factor (7/924, P less than 0.0004). Patients with a history of maldescent, congenital anomalies of the genitourinary system, or with bulky para-aortic disease, should routinely have the pelvis and inguinal regions included in a staging or follow-up CT scan. These factors should also influence the extent of the radiation field or of surgical dissection when these modalities are employed.