Can Sonoelastography and Multiphasic Computed Tomography Be Used to Differentiate RCC Subtypes?

: The aim of this study is to investigate if any correlation exists between strain elastography (SE) and multiphasic computed tomography (CT) findings in Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) subtypes. This study investigated any correlation existed between the SE findings and the tCT density values based on phase for the RCC subtypes. The SE and CT was performed on 43 patients prospectively. The RCC were classified according to histological subtypes. The strain indexes (SI) and mean density measurements of the CT were calculated. The mean age of the patients is 57.4 (35-81) years. A positive significant correlation was detected between the renal parenchyma SE and the renal mass SE values in the clear cell RCC subtype (p=0.004). Negative significant correlation was found between the renal mass SE and SI in the papillary subtype (p=0.047). A negative significant correlation was detected between the renal mass SE and the density values on the nonenhanced phase CT in males (p=0.019). There is no significant correlation between SE values and density values obtained from the corticomedullary, nephrographic and excretory CT phases. Significant correlation between the density values obtained in the nonenhanced phase CT and the SE values was detected based on gender. It was seen that the SI values calculated by evaluating the RCC mass with SE would be useful in subtype distinction.