Can renal cancer be detected by ultrasound?

Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
Updated on December 20, 2024
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Ultrasound is a type of imaging examination that can observe the size, shape, structure, texture, and the presence of masses in the organs being examined. It can be used to determine if a patient potentially has kidney-related masses, such as differentiating between a kidney cyst and kidney cancer based on differences in shape and blood supply that malignant tumors typically exhibit compared to other conditions. However, using ultrasound to diagnose kidney cancer can be inaccurate, particularly in the early stages of the disease when ultrasound may not provide a clear view, and some complex cases of kidney cancer may still be indeterminate. Therefore, patients might consider undergoing an enhanced CT scan, which offers a higher diagnostic accuracy. Additionally, a kidney biopsy and pathological examination might be necessary for a definitive diagnosis.

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Written by Li Yuan Wei
Urology
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Clinical manifestations of renal cancer

The clinical manifestations and staging of kidney cancer are related to the most common early-stage kidney cancer, late-stage kidney cancer, or metastatic kidney cancer. Generally, early-stage kidney cancer exhibits few clinical symptoms and is often detected during physical examinations, through ultrasonography of the urinary tract, or kidney ultrasonography, where tumors are the most commonly found. Additionally, later stages of kidney cancer often present as swelling pain in the waist area or occasional hematuria. More serious conditions involve feeling a mass in the upper abdomen upon palpation, which is a clinical manifestation. Nowadays, with heightened awareness for health checks, such conditions are generally discovered through these examinations. When major clinical manifestations like hematuria and abdominal masses occur, it indicates that the kidney tumor has already progressed to the mid or late stages.

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Written by Li Yuan Wei
Urology
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What are the characteristics of hematuria in renal cancer?

What we commonly refer to as kidney cancer actually includes two aspects. One is renal cell carcinoma, and the other is renal pelvis cancer or ureteral cancer. The characteristics of hematuria are different in these two types. Renal cell carcinoma, simply understood, grows inside the kidney and is not connected with urine. Only when the kidney tumor grows large enough to breach the kidney or renal pelvis will the tumor rupture and bleed, causing hematuria. This generally occurs in the middle to late stages of kidney cancer. On the other hand, renal pelvis cancer or ureteral cancer exhibits intermittent hematuria in the early stages without significant symptoms, but as it progresses to the middle and late stages, symptoms like kidney hydronephrosis and hematuria slowly appear. When diagnosing these conditions, any occurrence of hematuria must be investigated to determine the cause. Initial screening can be done using urinary system ultrasound, urinalysis, or routine urine tests. More precise methods include enhanced CT or MRI of the urinary system, which facilitate easier diagnosis.

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Written by Xu Chun Hua
Urology
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Survival rate after early removal of kidney cancer

The prognosis of renal cancer is closely related to its clinical staging. If it is in the early stages, surgery is the preferred treatment and the prognosis is very good. Timely surgery followed by subsequent treatments such as immunotherapy, targeted therapy, etc., is recommended. For early-stage renal cancer, the five-year survival rate after surgical removal can exceed 90%, and some patients may live without issues for over 20 years. How long someone lives specifically also depends on the individual's constitution and physical condition.

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Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
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Clinical Manifestations of Renal Cancer

In the early stages of kidney cancer, most patients do not experience any discomfort symptoms, making it difficult to detect. As the tumor progresses to the middle and late stages and increases in size, it can cause symptoms of back pain. If the tumor breaches the renal pelvis, leading to ruptured blood vessels, this condition will be accompanied by obvious gross hematuria, which often appears intermittently and is painless. If the tumor is large, a mass can be felt in the back. If these symptoms arise, it is crucial to promptly visit the hospital's urology department for tests such as ultrasound and CT scans to establish a clear diagnosis. If necessary, active surgical intervention should be considered.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Is kidney cancer the same as uremia?

Kidney cancer and uremia are two completely different concepts. Kidney cancer refers to the presence of a malignant tumor, which is a malignant lesion in kidney-type tissues. Certain cells in the kidney are in a state of limitless proliferation, continuously replicating to form kidney-like masses, and may cause hematuria, or even squeeze kidney tissues affecting their function. Uremia, on the other hand, refers to long-term chronic damage to the kidneys from various diseases, leading to the destruction of over 90% of kidney tissue, rendering the kidneys unable to excrete metabolic waste. This results in azotemia, electrolyte disorders, and other complications, a state known as uremia. Patients with kidney cancer, if the damage to kidney tissues is not severe, may still have normal kidney function. However, if severe problems occur in both kidneys, kidney cancer could also lead to uremia, although this situation is relatively rare.