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Cicero et al. Mini-invasive Surg 2019;3:25 Mini-invasive Surgery
DOI: 10.20517/2574-1225.2018.012

Review Open Access

Imaging

Calogero Cicero , Andrea Casarin , Francesca Currò , Irene Campo , Maida Bada , Tommaso Silvestri 3
3
2
1
2
1
1 UC Radiologia, ASL7 Pedemontana, San Bassiano Hospital, 36061 Bassano del Grappa (VI), Italy.
2 UC Radiologia, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata, Trieste 34149, Italy.
3 UC Urologia, ASL7 Pedemontana, 36061 Bassano del Grappa (VI), Italy.
Correspondence to: Dr. Calogero Cicero, UC Radiologia, ASL7 Pedemontana, San Bassiano Hospital, 36061 Bassano del Grappa
(VI), Italy. E-mail: calogero.cicero@aulss7.veneto.it
How to cite this article: Cicero C, Casarin A, Currò F, Campo I, Bada M, Silvestri T. Imaging. Mini-invasive Surg 2019;3:25.
http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2574-1225.2018.012

Received: 27 Dec 2018 First Decision: 10 Apr 2019 Revised: 3 Aug 2019 Accepted: 19 Aug 2019 Published: 28 Aug 2019
Science Editor: Richard Lawrence John Naspro Copy Editor: Jia-Jia Meng Production Editor: Jing Yu

Abstract

The incidence of renal cell carcinoma is rising and its represents the 2%, 3% of all cancers. The increased use of
ultrasonography, contrast enhanced ultrasonography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging have
resulted in incidentally detected small renal masses (SRMs). SRMs represent a heterogeneous group of tumors that
included metastatic lesions, benign, malignant, and cystic lesions. With the increase number of renal incidentalomas,
we have seen an increase in therapeutic choices (surgery, ablation therapies and active surveillance). The role of
imaging has progressively grown over the decades and became currently a cornerstone that is needed to perform
diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of SRMs after ablation treatment. Hence, in this review, we critically assess
recent literature on the role of imaging in the context of ablation management of SRMs with a focus on the diagnosis
and follow-up protocol.

Keywords: Ultrasonography, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, contrast enhanced ultrasonography, small renal masses

INTRODUCTION
During the last decades, there has been an increase in the incidence of small renal masses (SRMs). This is
[1]
likely because of increased use of axial and abdominal imaging and longer life expectancy .
SRMs are defined as renal masses with a maximum diameter of less than 4 cm and represent an extremely
heterogeneous category of lesions including benign, malignant, solid or cystic ones. Though SRMs in 80%

© The Author(s) 2019. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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