The prognostic value of preoperative PET/CT evaluation of maximum standardized uptake value in renal cell carcinomas

Aim: The use of positron emission tomography (PET/CT) in kidney tumors has increased greatly in recent years. There have been few studies on the effect of SUVmax values detected by PET/CT on the mortality and survival estimation in patients with kidney tumors. In this study, it is hoped to contribute to the literature of research on survival and mortality estimations of kidney tumour patients through an evaluation of SUVmax values measured with PET/CT scan. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective review was made of the files of 21 patients newly-diagnosed with kidney tumor and with disease staging determined with PET/CT in the Nuclear medicine Department of Saglik Bilimleri University Diyarbakir Gazi Yasargil Training and Research Hospital between August 2007 and April 2012. The largest tumor seen on CT was considered as the tumour size and was stated in cm. The survival time was defined as the time from the date of PET/CT Imaging, which was taken into consideration while calculating the survival, and the date of death received from MERNIS (The Central Civil Registration System) or the final application date if the patient was alive. RESULTS: The lower the SUVmax value in the kidney tumour, the longer the survival time. The mortality risk of male patients was 12-fold higher than females and mortality increased 4-fold when SUVmax values were >= 4.5.Patients with a tumour on the right kidney had a longer survival time. With increasedage,survival time decreased. The SUVmax values and tumor size measured in left kidney tumors were higher than those measured in right kidney tumors. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, it was concluded that the lower the SUVmax values and the smaller the tumour size, the longer the survival time. Mortality rates increased when SUVmax values were >= 4.5 (p=0.001). The use of PET/CT scan can be considered to contribute to mortality and survival estimations in patients with kidney tumor.