[To analyze the characteristic imagery of renal cell carcinoma with distinct histological subtypes].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze characteristic imagery of renal cell carcinoma with distinct histological subtypes and to increase the level of the diagnose and treatment in renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: 32 cases of parenchymatous renal cell cancer consisting of 26 conventional clear cell renal cell carcinoma, 5 cases of indolent papillary and 1 case of chromophobe carcinomas were compared with the different imagery features. RESULTS: All parenchymatous renal cell cancer patients underwent ultrasound, renal lesions showed parenchymatous echo of cortex renis. Most of the clear-cell carcinoma (20/26) demonstrated a low echo-level, papillary carcinoma (4/5) showed an ambly-high-level echo, chromophobe carcinoma showed a high-level echo. There was a significant differences the echo level between the conventional clear cell renal cell carcinoma and nonconventional clear cell RCC (P=0.005). 29 of 32 case, including 23 cases of conventional clear cell tumors and 6 cases of nonconventional clear cell RCC, underwent CT scanning: all renal lesions showed soft tissue density, but there was a significant difference between conventional and nonconventional clear cell renal cell carcinoma in contrast enhancement in either inhomogeneous enhancement (22/23 vs 3/6, P=0.004). 17 cases (11 with conventional clear cell renal cell carcinoma, 1 with chromophobe carcinoma and 5 with papillary carcinoma) underwent MRI. 10 of the conventional clear cell renal cell carcinoma showed hyperintense on T2WI (10/11) cases papillary tumor showed hypointensity on T2WI (5/5) them (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The different imagery features in conventional and nonconventional clear cell renal cell carcinoma according to preoperative imaging examination (ultrasound and computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) are helpful in the diagnosis and treatment of renal cell carcinoma.