World J Mens Health.  2014 Apr;32(1):61-65.

The Role of Imaging in the Diagnosis of Recurrence of Primary Seminal Vesicle Adenocarcinoma

• Sollini M
• Silvotti M
• Casali M
• Giovanardi F
• Zadro A
• Froio A
• Erba PA
• Versari A

Abstract

Primary seminal vesicle (SV) adenocarcinoma is a rare tumor. A small amount of data about the role of imaging to detect tumor recurrence is available. We report the case of a 58-year-old patient with primary SV clear-cell well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. Clinical and instrumental examinations were negative for the 32 months after treatments when computed tomography scan, [18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging showed the appearance of a lesion in the left perineal muscle suspected for recurrence. Patient was symptomless. Cytology of the suspected lesion confirmed SV adenocarcinoma recurrence. The combined approach, using radiological and nuclear medicine techniques, seems to be effective in the follow-up of SV adenocarcinoma. Technological advances, together with awareness of this rare tumor, have the potential of improving patients outcomes not only by providing earlier detection and accurate staging, but also by detecting recurrence and thereby avoiding delays and therapeutic dilemmas.

Keyword

Magnetic resonance imaging; Multidetector computed tomography; Positron-emission tomography; Seminal vesicles; Urogenital neoplasms

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma*
Diagnosis*
Electrons
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Middle Aged
Multidetector Computed Tomography
Nuclear Medicine
Positron-Emission Tomography
Recurrence*
Seminal Vesicles*
Urogenital Neoplasms

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Computed tomography (CT) images show two lesions suspected for seminal vesicle recurrence. Transaxial CT images show the lesion of the left transverse perineal muscle (arrow in A) associated with a thickening of the posterior wall of the bladder (arrow in B).

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  Fig. 2 [18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ([18F]FDG-PET/CT) images show the lesion suspected for seminal vesicle recurrence. Maximum intensity projection image shows an area of moderate [18F]FDG uptake under the bladder (arrow in A). Transaxial [18F]FDG-PET/CT images show a central 'cold' area and peripheral [18F]FDG uptake at left transverse perineal muscle (arrow in B) as confirmed by images repeated immediately after urination (arrow in C).

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  Fig. 3 Magnetic resonnace imaging (MRI) images show two lesions suspected for seminal vesicle recurrence. Transaxial MRI images show the lesion of the left transverse perineal muscle characterized by a high signal intensity in T2-weighted (arrow in A) and the thickening of the posterior wall of trigone of the bladder in T1-weighted image (arrow in B).

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