Wilms' tumor CT

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Wilms' tumor Microchapters
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Overview

CT scan may be helpful in the diagnosis of wilms' tumor.

CT scan

• Abdominal CT scan may be helpful in the diagnosis of wilms tumor.
• Findings on CT scan which can be suggestive of wilms tumor include:
  • Heterogeneous soft-tissue density masses
  • These masses have frequent areas of calcification (~10%) and fat-density regions
  • Lymph node metastasis
• CT scan of the renal mass can further reveal:
  • Invasion of surrounding organs
  • Thrombus in or occlusion of the renal vein and/or the inferior vena cava
  • Abdominal lymph nodes and contralateral involvement
• CT is better than ultrasonography in detecting small lesions of tumor.
• CT scan of the chest can be helpful to diagnose lung metastasis.

• CT scan shows a renal mass which often shows one or more of the following:
  • areas of hemorrhage
  • invasion of surrounding organs
  • thrombus in or occlusion of the renal vein and/or the inferior vena cava
  • abdominal lymph nodes and contralateral involvement
• A preoperative CT scan helps to better estimate tumor size and volume and to plan surgical management more successfully.
• It is a useful tool to determine stage based on tumor size and structures involved.

CT Scan of 11 cm Wilms' tumor of left kidney in 13 month old patient.