Positron Emission Tomography in the Diagnosis and Staging of Urinary Bladder Cancer

Abstract

Purpose: : Evaluation of positron emission tomography (PET) using ¹⁸F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (¹⁸FDG) and l-methyl-¹¹C-methionine in the diagnosis and staging of urinary bladder carcinoma. Material and Methods: : Twenty-three patients with biopsy-proven urinary bladder carcinoma were examined with PET after intravenous injection of ¹¹C-methionine; 2 were also examined with ¹⁸FDG. The results from the PET investigations were compared with CT or MR findings and TNM classification before and after treatment. Results: : The urinary excretion of ¹⁸FDG prevented distinction of the primary tumour from the surrounding tracer. With ¹¹C-methionine it was possible to detect 18/23 primary tumours. A trend was seen, suggesting that the higher the uptake values of ¹¹C-methionine in the tumour, the greater the tumour stage. Conclusion: : It is possible to visualize urinary bladder tumours larger than 1 cm in diameter with PET using ¹¹C-methionine, but the value of the method in the staging of the lesions is not superior to conventional methods.