PET FDG: Bladder Cancer with Nodal Mets.

Patient with Bladder Ca post surgical resection with recurrent disease in a left obturator lymph node.

Although limited by the normally excreated FDG in the bladder, FDG PET may have some use for staging in bladder cancer. FDG PET is not sensitive enough to be used in the detection of primary, low-stage bladder cancers. PET may be useful, in conjunction with conventional studies, in staging locally extensive lesions. It helps identify lymph node and distant metastases and in differentiating recurrent disease from tissue changes following surgery and radiation. Diuresis or irrigation of the bladder with saline increase the sensitivity of PET FDG for local tumors and node detection.