[Utility of computerized tomography in determining the extent of infiltrating bladder tumors: our experience].

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the reliability of bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) staging, comparing findings on computerized tomography (CT) with pathologic results after radical cystectomy.

METHODS

We retrospectively review 115 consecutive patients with bladder TCC undergoing radical cystectomy. Preoperative CT findings were compared with pathology results obtained after cystectomy and lymphadenectomy.

RESULTS

We found that as a whole CT showed a tendency to local overstaging of 27.8% for tumours infiltrating bladder wall only, and understaging of 36.5% Regarding lymph nodes involvement, CT overstaged 4.6% of patients and understaged 23.8%. CT was capable to detect only 7.15% pN positive cases. CT was unable to detect the only patient with intra-abdominal metastatic involvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Abdomino-pelvic CT has real limitations to detect extra vesical extension and lymph node metastasis in patients with bladder TCC.