[Angiographic differential diagnosis of hydronephrosis (author's transl)]

The diagnosis of hydronephrosis is made by excretory urography with late films and retrograde pyelography. Renal arteriography in hydronephrosis permits exact evaluation of vascular supply and parenchymal thickness. In three cases selective arteriography was performed because of a non-functioning kidney or suspected space-occupying lesion. The combination of arteriogram and urogram--if necessary together with percutaneous puncture--allows to differentiate between hydronephrosis, avascular tumors, renal cysts, polycystic renal disease, renal abscess, subcapsular renal hematoma, fibrolipomatosis, xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis, and tuberculosis.