Clinical and Radiological Features of Urachal Carcinoma and Infection

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the clinical and radiological differences between urachal carcinoma and urachal infection.

Methods: Clinical and imaging information for 13 cases of urachal carcinoma and 14 cases of urachal infection confirmed by pathology were retrospectively analyzed. The size, location, shape, margin, lesion composition, calcification, T1 and T2 signal intensity, peripheral lymph nodes, degree of enhancement, adjacent bladder wall, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value were examined in both groups, and distinguish features were determined. The student t-test or Mann-Whitney U test was used for quantitative data, and Fisher's exact test was used for qualitative data. Kappa coefficient consistency test was used to evaluate the interobserver agreement.

Results: Sex, hematuria, abdominal pain, calcification, and thickening of adjacent bladder wall can distinguish between urachal carcinoma and urachal infection (p < 0.05). There were no statistical differences in age (p = 0.076), size (p = 0.797), location (p = 0.440), shape (p = 0.449), margin (p = 0.449), lesion composition (p = 0.459), T1 signal intensity (p = 0.196), T2 signal intensity (p = 0.555), peripheral lymph nodes (p = 0.236), degree of enhancements (p = 0.184) and ADC value (p = 0.780) between two groups.

Conclusion: The following clinical and imaging features help distinguish urachal carcinoma from urachal infection: sex, hematuria, abdominal pain, calcification, and thickening of the adjacent bladder wall.

Keywords: differential diagnosis; radiological features; urachal carcinoma; urachal infection; urachus.