[Diagnostic evaluation of closed renal trauma]

Renal traumatism is a relevant entity, its early and precise diagnosis having great weight in the initiation of appropriate treatment and its success. All 189 contained renal traumatisms seen in our service between 1981 and 1989, are studied. The purpose of the present work is to determine the diagnostic reliability of the different tests available, chiefly comparing echography versus urography, as well as CT. The method used is measurement of Sensitivity, Specificity and Predictive values, arranged by grades and compared using the squared-chi method (Fisher's exact test). Regarding the primary results we must emphasise the rejection of a void hypothesis in grades II and III with an error level lower than 0.01 for positive predictive values in echography vs. urography; as well as the high values of sensitivity and specificity of CT in high degree traumatisms. To conclude, those traumas where a complementary study is necessary urography may provide more information than echography; although in traumatisms where high degree lesions are suspected, CT will provided the most valuable information.