This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bharwani, N Articles by Heenan, S D Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Bharwani, N Articles by Heenan, S D

Imaging of bladder cancer

Radiology Department, St George's Hospital, Blackshaw Road, London SW17 0QT, UK

• Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in males and the eleventh most common cancer in females in the UK.
  
• Bladder cancer is more common in males than in females.
  
• The majority of primary bladder tumours are epithelial in origin: 95% of these are urothelial tumours (or transitional cell carcinomas).
  
• Cigarette smoking and occupation are the greatest risk factors for developing bladder cancer.
  
• Multifocal tumours (bladder and/or upper tract) are seen in 30–40% of patients.
  
• The role of imaging in patients with bladder cancer is to assess the local extent of disease and to detect nodal and distant metastases once a malignant diagnosis is established.
  

Bladder cancer is a relatively common cancer and, while imaging is rarely required to make the diagnosis, it plays an important role in the staging and follow-up of patients with this malignancy. This review discusses the indications and limitations of currently available imaging modalities.