Objectives In the present retrospective study, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of F-18 FDG PET/CT in the restaging of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and its comparison with the conventional imaging.
Methods A total of 139 patients (male = 94, female = 45; median age = 53.3 years; range = 18-81 years) from June 2013 to November 2015, with histopathological proof of renal cell carcinoma were evaluated in this retrospective study. All the patients underwent whole-body F-18 FDG PET/CT for restaging of the disease after initial nephrectomy or after chemotherapy with clinical or radiological suspicion of recurrence. FDG PET/CT findings were evaluated by two experienced nuclear medicine physicians and any abnormal FDG uptake on PET images was correlated with lesion on CECT and taken as positive. For the validation of the imaging results, histopathological examinations, clinical or imaging follow up were taken as reference standard. Conventional anatomical images (USG / CT or MR scans) were also evaluated for comparison (wherever available).