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.