Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is useful in the characterization of renal masses. The MR imaging manifestations and pathologic diagnoses of 82 renal masses were reviewed and correlated. The MR imaging appearance of clear cell type renal cell carcinoma varies depending on the presence of cystic components, hemorrhage, and necrosis. Papillary renal cell carcinomas appear as well-encapsulated masses with homogeneous low signal intensity on T2-weighted images and homogeneous low-level enhancement after the intravenous administration of contrast material, or as cystic hemorrhagic masses with peripheral enhancing papillary projections. Transitional cell carcinoma may be seen as an irregular, enhancing filling defect in the pelvicaliceal system or ureter. Lymphomatous masses are usually hypointense relative to the renal cortex on T2-weighted images and enhance minimally on delayed gadolinium-enhanced images. Bulk fat is a distinguishing feature of angiomyolipoma. Oncocytoma has a variable and nonspecific appearance at MR imaging. MR imaging findings may allow the characterization of various renal masses and can provide valuable information for their clinical management.

Spaced education consisting of clinical scenarios and questions distributed weekly via e-mail can significantly improve students' retention of medical knowledge.

Purpose Measuring prostate cancer patient HRQOL in routine clinical practice is hindered by lack of instruments enabling efficient real-time, point-of-care scoring of multiple HRQOL domains. We sought to develop an instrument for this purpose. Materials and Methods The EPIC for Clinical Practice (EPIC-CP) is a one-page, 16-item questionnaire to measure urinary incontinence, urinary irritation, bowel, sexual, and hormonal HRQOL domains that we constructed by eliminating conceptually overlapping items from the 3 page EPIC-26, and revising the questionnaire format to mirror the AUA Symptom Index, thereby enabling practitioners to calculate HRQOL scores at point of care. We administered EPIC-CP to a new cohort of PCa patients in community-based and academic oncology, radiation, and urology practices to evaluate the instrument’s validity and ease of use for clinical practice. Results 175 treated and 132 untreated PCa subjects completed EPIC-CP (N = 307). EPIC-CP domain scores correlated highly with respective domain scores from longer versions of EPIC (r ≥ 0.93 for all domains). EPIC-CP showed high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.64-0.84) and sensitivity to PCa treatment-related effects (p < 0.05 in each of 5 HRQOL domains). Patients completed EPIC-CP efficiently (96% in <10 minutes, and 11% missing items). It was deemed ‘very convenient’ by clinicians in 87% of routine clinical encounters, and clinicians accurately scored completed questionnaires 94% of the time. Conclusions EPIC-CP is a valid instrument that enables patient-reported HRQOL to be measured efficiently and accurately at the point of care, and can thereby facilitate improved emphasis and management of patient-reported outcomes.