Diagnosing renal masses involves navigating through a spectrum of potential conditions, from benign lesions to aggressive malignancies. This process is crucial for determining the appropriate course of treatment, which may range from surveillance to surgical intervention. Understanding the diagnostic nuances and surgical management considerations is essential in providing optimal care for patients presenting with renal masses. This article explores the differential diagnosis, imaging techniques, and therapeutic approaches that shape the clinical management of renal masses, highlighting the complexities involved in their evaluation and treatment.

Symptoms

Symptoms for renal masses include flank pain, hematuria, and/or proteinuria. However, many cases do not present with any symptoms. Therefore, it is important to screen all patients with a renal mass for symptoms on routine examination or by a urologist. The retroperitoneal anatomy of the kidney is complex and often does not allow for easy identification of renal masses. This is why CT or MRI is recommended for initial evaluation of these lesions.

A renal mass can be either solid or cystic. Solid tumors have a higher malignant potential than cystic tumors. However, small renal masses (3-4cm) may have a low malignant potential as well. Moreover, it is important to consider non-malignant causes of renal masses (e.g. pyelonephritis, renal sarcoidosis and metastatic disease) before determining that a lesion is benign.

Infiltrative renal masses are typically RCC and/or TCC. These lesions have a nodular growth pattern and invade the renal cortex as well as the renal sinus. Other malignant and benign conditions that can manifest as infiltrative renal masses include pyelonephritis, sarcoidosis and post-traumatic renal injury.

Several non-extirpative treatment techniques are currently being investigated for the management of these masses. These techniques include stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and microwave ablation. However, these approaches are relatively new and have not been thoroughly evaluated. It is important to discuss the risks and benefits of intervention with each patient.

Imaging

Many people with a renal mass experience pain between their ribs and hip or notice blood in the urine. However, healthcare professionals cannot diagnose these masses based on symptoms or physical exam alone. The most reliable way to confirm the presence of a renal mass is by imaging tests.

Renal masses are most often incidentally detected during a baseline US or CT scan in a non-urological setting. Typically, they are simple cysts, although complicated cysts and solid masses occur as well.

It is not possible to reliably distinguish between benign and malignant lesions with imaging alone, but the use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) may help. This modality allows characterisation of the lesion and may also aid in excluding tumor-mimics such as infection or infarction. It is the most cost-effective imaging test for initial evaluation of renal masses but is limited by the inability to detect fat content. MRI complements CT in renal mass characterisation but is more expensive and requires patient-level factors such as tolerance of longer scan times and breath-holding.

Once a diagnosis is made, it is important to balance the risks and benefits of intervention. Surgical resection can result in complications such as bleeding, infection and kidney failure, while thermal ablation results in fewer complications but does not affect overall survival. A comprehensive evaluation including a thorough history, laboratory testing, and imaging studies is essential to evaluate patients for surveillance versus surgical or ablation interventions.

Diagnosis

Renal masses are abnormal growths within the kidney. They may be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Benign tumors are usually smaller and slower growing. Malignant tumors are larger, grow more quickly and are often more aggressive.

Often, the diagnosis of renal mass is made incidentally when the patient has a physical exam or a urinalysis for an unrelated reason. If the classic triad of hematuria, flank pain and flank mass is present it warrants further evaluation. A variety of laboratory tests such as blood chemistry, comprehensive metabolic panel and urinalysis should be obtained. These will provide valuable information about the patient’s general health including kidney function and protein levels.

In most cases, pre and post contrast-enhanced axial imaging such as US or CT is necessary for characterisation of clinically localised renal masses. Only a small percentage of renal masses, namely simple cysts and fat-containing AML, can be accurately assessed with non-contrast imaging.

A percutaneous biopsy can help distinguish between a benign and a malignant lesion. However, it is not routinely recommended. This is due to the fact that the procedure has only about 85% sensitivity and can miss some cancers. It also carries the risk of needle site seeding with cancer, fluid spillage, bowel injury and hemorrhage. Other imaging modalities such as CT texture analysis, MRI diffusion and perfusion techniques and iodine quantification may aid in characterisation of renal masses but they have not yet been widely adopted.

Treatment

The treatment of a renal mass depends on the patient and tumor characteristics. It can be managed with close monitoring, biopsy, surgical resection, or thermal ablation depending on the risk-benefit profile and patient preference. This balancing process is made complex by multiple factors, including age, comorbidities, disease severity, ESRD status, and malignant or benign tumor characteristics.

All patients with a palpable flank mass should undergo evaluation that includes a physical exam and history, laboratory tests, and advanced imaging such as CT and MRI. Hematuria should prompt immediate evaluation with reassessment of the patient, additional laboratory testing, and a repeat ultrasound.

In patients with a suspected renal mass, a pre- and post-contrast-enhanced axial CT or MRI is the preferred imaging modality for diagnosis and staging. These modalities can accurately distinguish cystic from solid masses and identify non-cystic renal tumors. However, the current modalities cannot reliably differentiate between benign and malignant tumors or indolent from aggressive pathology.

Approximately 20 to 30 percent of clinically localised renal masses are benign. Depending on tumor size, smaller lesions have a lower malignant potential than larger masses. The use of a shared decision-making model and periodic reassessment of the risk-benefit profile should be considered in patients with a symptomatic, enhancing renal mass that is 2cm in diameter with a Bosniak score of 4. This approach allows for the consideration of AS versus intervention in patients who have acceptable rates of cancer/periprocedural mortality and a low risk of progression to stage ESRD.

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Advances and Considerations

In conclusion, the management of renal masses necessitates a multifaceted approach integrating diagnostic precision with patient-centered treatment strategies. From the initial detection through advanced imaging techniques to the nuanced decision-making in therapeutic interventions, clinicians face the challenge of balancing risks and benefits tailored to individual patient profiles. Emerging modalities such as high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) offer promising alternatives to traditional surgical resection, underscoring the evolving landscape of renal mass management. Continued research and clinical vigilance are essential to refine diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficacy, ultimately improving outcomes and quality of life for patients confronting renal masses.