Intravesical fat emulsion at computed tomography of bladder tumours

Computed Tomography of Invasive Bladder Carcinoma after Diagnostic Transurethral Resection

Fourteen patients with known muscle invasive bladder carcinoma were examined with computed tomography (CT) before and five to seven days after diagnostic transurethral resection (TUR). The CT examinations included pre- and postcontrast series. In order to standardize the technique, we examined on a distended bladder. No significant changes occurred for the whole group after TUR. Individual changes were seen. In six patients the largest measured area of the bladder tumor increased after resection and in four the largest measured thickness increased, and this should be borne in mind when CT is used to evaluate tumor response to treatment. Perivesical changes occurred only after extensive diathermy or perforation. They did not show contrast enhancement and could therefore not be mistaken for tumor growth.

Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography in Carcinoma of the Urinary Bladder

Computed tomography (CT) scans of the urinary bladder were taken before and in combination with intravenous contrast medium injection in 30 patients with invasive bladder carcinoma. Three different ways of injecting the same amount of intravenous contrast material were used in three groups, each consisting of ten patients. In the first group the contrast medium was given during 90 seconds, in the second group during 40 seconds and in the third one, the first half during 20 seconds and the second half during 90 seconds. The attenuation in the tumors and in the bladder wall was measured in Hounsfield units. Independent of injection method, all tumors showed significantly higher contrast enhancement than the bladder wall when the injection was terminated. The difference in contrast enhancement was greatest in the group where the shortest injection time was used and greatest immediately after the conclusion of the injection. The difference in contrast enhancement between tumor and bladder wall was visible on the monitor in all cases.

Computed tomography in staging of bladder carcinoma

The value of computed tomography in staging of bladder carcinoma was evaluated by comparison with clinical and histopathologic stage according to the TNM system. The CT results seem to indicate a possibility to distinguish between superficially and deeply invasive tumours.