ABSTRACT

Bladder cancer is a heterogeneous and frequently multifocal disease with a variable clinical course. The management of bladder cancer is therefore challenging and complicated. Imaging has important role in the detection, staging, and follow-up of bladder cancer. This review presents the use of new imaging techniques in the diagnosis and staging of urinary bladder cancer.

Three-dimensional virtual ultrasonography and computed tomography cystoscopy are promising new alternative noninvasive techniques for use in detection of bladder tumors. Conventional computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are only moderately accurate in the diagnosis and local staging of bladder cancer, with cystoscopy and pathologic staging remaining the gold standard. MRI affords better soft tissue contrast, which allows for more accurate staging than can be achieved with other imaging modalities. Diffusion weighted MRI has a high reliability in differentiating post-TUR inflammatory changes from bladder tumors. The use of PET CT in the urinary bladder is for staging purpose rather than primary diagnosis.

Imaging is essential in preoperative diagnosis, staging and postoperative follow-up in bladder cancer.