Renal cell carcinoma echocardiography or ultrasound

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Rim Halaby, M.D. [2] Farima Kahe M.D. [3]

Overview

Ultrasound may be helpful in the diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma. Ultrasound may be helpful when CT scan results are equivocal.

Ultrasound may be helpful in the diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma when CT scan results are equivocal.^[1]

**Use of US in Renal Cell Carcinoma^[2]**
Patient Profile	Use of US	Evidence Strength
Low Risk Patient (pT1, N0, Nx)	US (or CT or MRI) may be performed in patients following radical nephrectomy if initial post-op baseline image is negative	C
Moderate to High Risk Patients (pT2-4N0 Nx or any stage N+)	Imaging, including US, may be used every 6 months (after a baseline chest and abdominal CT or MRI within 3-6 months following surgery) for at least 3 years and annually thereafter to 5 years. Site specific imaging is warranted by clinical symptoms suggestive of recurrence or metastatic spread. Imaging (US, CXR, CT, or MRI) beyond 5 years may be performed at the discretion of the clinician	C

↑ Cohen HT, McGovern FJ (December 2005). “Renal-cell carcinoma”. N. Engl. J. Med. 353 (23): 2477–90. doi:10.1056/NEJMra043172. PMID 16339096.
↑ Donat SM, Diaz M, Bishoff JT, Coleman JA, Dahm P, Derweesh IH; et al. (2013). “Follow-up for Clinically Localized Renal Neoplasms: AUA Guideline”. J Urol. 190 (2): 407–16. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2013.04.121. PMID 23665399.