Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The application of cinematic rendering to CT evaluation of upper tract urothelial tumors: principles and practice

  • Special Section: Urothelial Disease
  • Published:
Abdominal Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a relatively uncommon but aggressive genitourinary malignancy for which multi-phase contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) plays an important role in evaluation and staging. 3D imaging with maximum intensity projection (MIP) and volume-rendered (VR) images has been described as a useful means of evaluating UTUC. In this study, we describe the technique of a novel 3D methodology known as cinematic rendering (CR) and provide clinical examples of UTUC visualized with CR. CR utilizes a complex universal lighting model in order to create photorealistic images with improved detail and depth in comparison to MIP or VR images. In the case of UTUC, CR can be used in different contrast phases to show abnormally thickened and enhancing urothelium or filling defects in the renal collecting system or ureters in the excretory phase. CR images can also be manipulated in order to generate translucent views of the upper urinary tract in order to add conspicuity to intraluminal findings.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A (2018) Cancer statistics, 2018. CA Cancer J Clin. 68(1):7-30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Raman JD, Messer J, Sielatycki JA, Hollenbeak CS (2011) Incidence and survival of patients with carcinoma of the ureter and renal pelvis in the USA, 1973-2005. BJU Int. 107(7):1059-1064.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Rouprêt M, Babjuk M, Compérat E, et al. (2015) European Association of Urology guidelines on upper urinary tract urothelial cell carcinoma: 2015 update. Eur Urol. 68(5):868-879.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Raman SP, Horton KM, Fishman EK (2012) Transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract: optimizing image interpretation with 3D reconstructions. Abdom Imaging. 37(6):1129-1140.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Dappa E, Higashigaito K, Fornaro J, Leschka S, Wildermuth S, Alkadhi H (2016) Cinematic rendering – an alternative to volume rendering for 3D computed tomography imaging. Insights Imaging. 7(6):849-856.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Eid M, De Cecco CN, Nance JW Jr, et al. (2017) Cinematic rendering in CT: a novel, lifelike 3D visualization technique. AJR Am J Roentgenol 209(2):370-379.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Johnson PT, Schneider R, Lugo-Fagundo C, et al. (2017) MDCT angiography with 3D rendering: a novel cinematic rendering algorithm for enhanced anatomic detail. AJR Am J Roentgenol 209(2):309-312.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Rowe SP, Johnson PT, Fishman EK (2018) Initial experience with cinematic rendering for chest cardiovascular imaging. Br J Radiol. 91(1082):20170558.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Rowe SP, Johnson PT, Fishman EK (2018) Cinematic rendering of cardiac CT volumetric data: principles and initial observations. J Cardiovasc Comput Tomogr. 12(1):56-59.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Rowe SP, Zinreich SJ, Fishman EK (2018) 3D cinematic rendering of the calvarium, maxillofacial structures, and skull base: preliminary observations. Br J Radiol. 91(1086):20170826.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Rowe SP, Chu LC, Fishman EK (2018) Cinematic rendering of small bowel pathology: preliminary observations from this novel 3D CT visualization method. Abdom Radiol (NY). 43(11):2928-2937.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Rowe SP, Meyer AR, Gorin MA, Johnson PT, Fishman EK (2018) 3D CT of renal pathology: initial experience with cinematic rendering. Abdom Radiol (NY). 43(12):3445-3455.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Rowe SP, Fishman EK. Image processing from 2D to 3D. In: Medical Radiology. 2017. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  14. Mammen S, Krishna S, Quon M, et al. (2018) Diagnostic accuracy of qualitative and quantitative computed tomography analysis for diagnosis of pathological grade and stage in upper tract urothelial cell carcinoma. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 42(2):204-210.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Furukawa J, Miyake H, Sakai I, Fujisawa M. (2013) Significance of ureteroscopic biopsy grade in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma. Curr Urol. 6(3):156-159.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Rowe SP, Chu LC, Fishman EK (2018) Evaluation of stomach neoplasms with 3-dimensional computed tomography: focus on the potential role of cinematic rendering. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 42(5):661-666.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Lan H, Nishitani H, Nishihara S, et al. (2011) Using the MDCT thick slab MinIP method for the follow-up of pulmonary emphysema. J Med Invest. 58(3-4):175-179.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

No funding was received by the authors in relation to writing this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Steven P. Rowe, Linda C. Chu, Michael A. Gorin & Elliot K. Fishman

  2. The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute and Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Steven P. Rowe, Alexa R. Meyer, Michael A. Gorin & Elliot K. Fishman

  3. Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 601 N. Caroline St., Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Steven P. Rowe

Authors
  1. Steven P. Rowe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Linda C. Chu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alexa R. Meyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Michael A. Gorin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Elliot K. Fishman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Steven P. Rowe.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

EKF receives research support from Siemens and GE Healthcare and is a co-founder and stockholder in HipGraphics, Inc. The other authors have no relevant conflicts of interest to report.

Ethical approval

This manuscript does not detail a defined study and no ethical approval was necessary.

Informed consent

No patient data is included in this manuscript and informed consent was not applicable.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rowe, S.P., Chu, L.C., Meyer, A.R. et al. The application of cinematic rendering to CT evaluation of upper tract urothelial tumors: principles and practice. Abdom Radiol 44, 3886–3892 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-019-02154-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-019-02154-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation