The study aimed to evaluate the possibility of applying 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (FDG PET) for detecting primary urothelial malignancies in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and the possible absence of interference by normal physiological excretory urinary radioactivity.
Patients and methods: Fifteen consecutive ESRD patients who had undergone preoperative FDG PET and computed tomography (CT) for their suspected urothelial malignancies from December 2002 to March 2004, were retrospectively enrolled for comparison with the postoperative histological findings.
Results: The histological findings revealed 27 urothelial malignancies. The sensitivity and positive predictive value of FDG PET (CT in parentheses) were 67% (59%) and 90% (84%), respectively. A tendency was also observed towards a positive correlation between the sensitivity of FDG PET and the grade/stage of the urothelial malignancies.
Conclusion: FDG PET may serve as a feasible supplementary method for the diagnosis of urothelial malignancies in ESRD patients and a possible indicator of prognosis.