Novel imaging modalities for lymph node imaging in urologic oncology

Accurate lymph node staging in genitourinary (GU) malignancies is important for planning an appropriate treatment and establishing an accurate prognosis. This article discusses the novel imaging techniques for detection of metastases in various GU malignancies, including prostate, bladder, penile, and testicular cancers. Discussion includes nuclear medicine techniques of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), (11)C-choline and (18)F-choline PET/CT, and ProstaScint scanning, as well as sentinel lymph node mapping. Magnetic resonance (MR) techniques include lymphotropic nanoparticle-enhanced MR imaging and diffusion-weighted MR imaging.