Andrew B. Rosenkrantz MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Homer Aquino Macapinlac MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

1) Learn the latest developments on the role of CT, MRI, and PET/CT in the detection, diagnosis, staging, and surveillance of patients with bladder cancer. 2) Learn currently recommended CT, MRI, and PET/CT techniques and protocols and how to implement them in clinical practice. 3) Learn how to interpret CT, MRI, and PET/CT scans of the bladder with an emphasis on case review and diagnostic pitfalls.  

The urinary bladder is the most common site of malignancy of the urinary tract and is imaged by radiologists on many abdominal imaging exams. However, historically the bladder has been a ‘forgotten’ organ and thought to be largely the purview of the urologist due to the central role that cystoscopy has played in both the diagnosis and local staging of bladder cancer. Recent advances in CT, MRI, and PET have emerged that now allow radiologists to play an important role in the detection, diagnosis, staging, and surveillance of patients with or suspected of having bladder cancer. This course will detail these advances and explain how, when, and why radiologists should be using these three modalities in clinical practice today. Using illustrative case examples, advances in knowledge such as how CT urography can be used to detect bladder cancer, how MR urography can be used to distinguish muscle-invasive from superficial tumors and evaluate the upper tracts, and how PET/CT (and the newly introduced PET/MRI) can be used to stage and follow patients. With additional advances in low dose CT, emerging MRI techniques, and novel PET agents, radiology will play an increasingly vital role in the care of patients with bladder cancer in the future.

Rosenkrantz, A, Macapinlac, H, Bladder, the Forgotten Organ: Role of CT, MRI, and PET in Diagnosis, Staging, and Surveillance of Cancer.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/13010772.html