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Updated: Apr 18, 2026
In Vivo, Percutaneous, Needle Based, Optical Coherence Tomography of Renal Masses
Published on: March 30, 2015
Initial experience using 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT for the differentiation of oncocytoma from renal cell carcinoma
Steven P Rowe1, Michael A Gorin, Jennifer Gordetsky
1From the *The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, †The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute and Department of Urology, and ‡Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; and §Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Purpose:
The differentiation of oncocytoma from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains a challenge with currently available cross-sectional imaging techniques. As a result, a large number of patients harboring a benign oncocytoma undergo unnecessary surgical resection. In this study, we explored the utility of 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT for the differentiation of these tumors based on the hypothesis that the large number of mitochondria in oncocytomas would lead to increased 99mTc-MIBI uptake.
Patients And Methods:
In total, 6 patients (3 with oncocytoma and 3 with RCC) were imaged with 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT. Relative quantification was performed by measuring tumor-to-normal renal parenchyma background ratios.
Results:
All 3 oncocytomas demonstrated radiotracer uptake near or above the normal renal parenchymal uptake (range of uptake ratios, 0.85-1.78). In contrast, the 3 RCCs were profoundly photopenic relative to renal background (range of uptake ratios, 0.21-0.31).
Conclusions:
99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT appears to be of value in scintigraphically distinguishing benign renal oncocytoma from RCC.
