Abstract: Objective   To investigate the plain scan and multi-phase enhancement features of renal chromophobe cell carcinoma by multi-detector spiral computed tomography (MDCT).   Methods   Clinical data and MDCT signs of 67 cases (68 lesions) of renal chromophobe cell carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into two groups according to the tumor size (group A with the maximum diameter ≤4 cm and group B with the maximum diameter of >4 cm). The MDCT characteristics of the mass in the two groups were compared. The ratio (La0, La1, Lv1, Lp1) of the CT value of the solid part of the mass in plain scan, renal cortex stage, parenchymal stage and renal pelvis stage to the CT value of the ipsilateral adjacent renal cortex (La0, La1, Lv1, Lp1) were calculated and graded, and the enhancement mode of the mass was analyzed and statistically analyzed.   Results   There were significant differences in the percentage of calcification, central scar and small cortical vascular signs in the tumor and the percentage of compression of calices, pelvis and portal vessels by the tumor between group A and B (all P<0.05).There were significant differences among La1, Lv1 and Lp1 in the solid part of 68 masses (P<0.05). The enhancement peak value was the most in the dermato-pith junction or parenchymal phase, accounting for 61.76% (42/68), of which followed by the cortical phase, accounting for 33.82% (23/68), and there were significant differences in the dermato-pith junction or parenchymal phase and the cortical phase (P<0.05).   Conclusions   The partial MDCT features of renal chromophobe cell carcinoma are related to the size of the tumor, and the enhancement methods are varied. Careful observation of plain scan features and multistage enhancement features of the tumor is helpful for preoperative diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

Key words: Multi-phase enhanced scanning,  ,  , Chromophobe cell carcinoma,  ,  , Computed tomography (CT)