CT Pelvis in Children; Should We Routinely Scan Pelvis for Wilms Tumor and Hepatoblastoma? Implications for Imaging...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Oncology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Wilms tumor and hepatoblastoma are common pediatric intra-abdominal solid organ tumors.
• CT scans are routinely used for diagnosis despite radiation concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare metastatic disease patterns between Wilms tumor and hepatoblastoma in children.
• To evaluate pelvic extension and metastasis in both tumor types.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective evaluation of 60 pediatric patients (45 Wilms tumor, 16 hepatoblastoma).
• Analysis of CT findings for metastatic disease at presentation and during follow-up.

Main Results:

• Wilms tumor showed a significantly higher rate of metastatic disease at presentation (44.4%) compared to hepatoblastoma (6.3%).
• Metastatic disease during follow-up was also more frequent in Wilms tumor (6 patients) than hepatoblastoma (2 patients).
• No significant difference in pelvic extension at presentation or follow-up was observed between the two tumor types.

Conclusions:

• Wilms tumor demonstrates a higher propensity for metastatic spread compared to hepatoblastoma.
• CT findings highlight distinct metastatic behaviors, informing management strategies for pediatric abdominal tumors.