INTRODUCTIONWe evaluated the accuracy of endorectal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the staging of prostate cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODSWe retrospectively reviewed 32 patients who underwent endorectal MR prostate prior to radical prostatectomy. The tumour stage based on MR imaging was compared with the pathologic stage. The sensitivity and specificity of endorectal MR prostate in the evaluation of extracapsular extension (ECE) of the tumour were then determined.

RESULTSMR correctly diagnosed 17 cases of organ-confined prostate carcinoma and 2 cases of locally advanced disease. In the evaluation of ECE, endorectal MR achieved a high specificity of 94.4%, low sensitivity of 14.3% and moderate accuracy of 59.4%.

CONCLUSIONEndorectal MR prostate has high specificity for the detection of ECE. It is useful in the local staging of prostate cancer in patients with intermediate risk as this helps to ensure that few patients will be deprived of potentially curative surgery.

Adult ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Medical Audit ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; methods ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Rectum ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

INTRODUCTIONThis study analysed the tumour attenuation characteristics of different subtypes of renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), including clear cell RCC (ccRCC), papillary RCC (pRCC), mixed RCC, chromophobe RCC (chRCC) and oncocytoma.

METHODSWe randomly selected 100 RCC cases that underwent nephrectomy between 2004 and 2012 from a collaborative database. Of these cases, 36 were excluded due to the absence of available imaging. The remaining 64 cases comprised 35 ccRCCs, 11 pRCCs, eight chRCCs, seven mixed RCCs and three oncocytomas. The cases were classified as computed tomography (CT) kidney, CT urogram (with plain, nephrographic and pyelographic phases) or CT abdomen (with portovenous and delayed phases). A circular region of interest (ROI) ≥ 1 cmwas drawn and the same standard ROI size was used for each phase at the same site; three different circular ROIs were drawn per lesion per phase. Analysis of variance and t-test were used to examine differences in the radiological characteristics.

RESULTSThere was no statistical difference in the attenuation and degree of enhancement between mixed RCCs and ccRCCs. The attenuation and degree of enhancement of the oncocytomas were significantly higher than those of the other RCC subtypes.

CONCLUSIONWhile mixed RCCs did not have attenuation characteristics that differed significantly from those of ccRCCs, oncocytomas can be distinguished from ccRCCs, pRCCs, chRCCs and mixed RCCs by their high radiological density and enhancement. The ability to differentiate oncocytomas from these tumours potentially allows the preoperative selection of patients with small renal masses for conservative management.