Emerging role of functional imaging in renal cell carcinoma: from morphology to molecular phenotyping with PET/computed tomography.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Functional imaging in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), particularly in clear-cell (ccRCC), has accelerated over the past decade. Rapidly developing novel radiotracers signal growing clinical reliance for better diagnosis, staging and prognostication. This review highlights recent important publications in PET/CT imaging of ccRCC.

Recent findings: 18 F-FDG PET/CT has limited RCC staging value owing to renal excretion and variable tumour uptake. 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT performs better, but uptake is not tumour-specific and related to neovasculature. Meanwhile, CA-IX-targeted tracers leverage a marker highly overexpressed in ccRCC, delivering high tumour-to-background ratio and superior lesion detection compared to conventional imaging. Early antibody-based tracers (e.g. 124 I/ 89 Zr-girentuximab) proved accurate but operationally cumbersome. Novel small-molecule and peptide CA-IX tracers (e.g. 68 Ga-DPI-4452) enable same-day imaging of better quality and lower dose, providing a noninvasive method to distinguish ccRCC from benign or nonclear-cell lesions and unmask occult metastases. Their paired therapeutic 177 Lu-analogues also promise better clinical translation with favourable pharmacokinetics and dosimetry.

Summary: Functional imaging in RCC is shifting from anatomical assessment to molecular characterisation. These advances can better select candidates for local versus systemic treatment, individualise therapy and enable novel theranostics. Further prospective trials should validate their performance and define their place in clinical pathways.