Usefulness of 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in the evaluation of tumor cardiac thrombus from renal cell carcinoma

Purpose Retrospectively analysed our experience in Renal Cell carcinoma (RCC) patients studied with 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG PET) to rule out the incidence and clinical impact of heart metastases. Material and methods In two years, 37 patients with RCC were studied with FDG PET. 10 were studied for initial staging and 27 patients were evaluated for suspected recurrence or re-staging. Results In two patients (5%), PET scan showed pathological focal uptake in myocardium. On the bases of this finding. MRI was performed visualizing a myocardial mass in both lesions and confirmed by histology in one of them. The hypothesis of prolepses of the tumour by thrombus in RCC patients justified the surgery. Conclusion Whole-body FDG PET in RCC patients could help to diagnose cardiac metastasis, and allows the possibility of therapeutic surgery, due to the thrombus significance of heart involvement.