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PURPOSE: We differentiated renal cell carcinoma subtypes using multislice computerized tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the CT images of 87 patients with renal cell carcinoma. Three subtypes of renal cell carcinoma were noted, including clear cell in 37 cases, papillary in 26 and chromophobe in 24. Biphasic CT (unenhanced, corticomedullary and excretory phases) was done in all patients. We compared patient age and sex, tumor size, enhancement degree and pattern (homogeneous, heterogeneous and predominantly peripheral), the presence or absence of calcification or cystic degeneration (necrotic or hemorrhagic areas within the tumor) and tumor spreading patterns, including perinephric change, venous invasion and lymphadenopathy, in the 3 subtypes. RESULTS: The degree of enhancement was significantly different among the 3 subtypes in the corticomedullary and excretory phases (p 0.05). Calcification was evident in 21.6%, 23.1% and 25% of clear cell, papillary and chromophobe subtypes, respectively (p >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: To differentiate the subtypes of renal cell carcinoma the degree of enhancement is the most valuable parameter. The presence or absence of cystic degeneration, vascularity and enhancement patterns can serve supplemental role in differentiating renal cell carcinoma subtypes.
Sheir et al. (Mon,) studied this question.
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