[Non-invasive imaging diagnosis of left renal vein compression causing hematuria. Part 1. Ultrasonography]

Left renal veins of 100 out-patients were examined by transabdominal ultrasonography to evaluate its usefulness in determining left renal vein compression which is causing renal bleeding. Ultrasonography revealed the left renal vein in 86 patients. In 61 of the 86 cases, the internal cavity of left renal vein was opened at least in diastolic phase, but in 23 cases, the internal cavity was closed between the abdominal aorta and the superior mesenteric artery in both systolic and diastolic phases. In the remaining 2 cases, left renal vein was compressed at a point where it intersected the right renal artery. Left renal vein compression was observed in 18 (69%) of the 26 cases which had been classified as idiopathic renal bleeding and in 7 (26%) of the 27 cases which had urinary tract diseases causing hematuria. In 33 cases which did not have hematuria, left renal vein compression was not observed. These results suggest that diagnosis of left renal vein compression causing renal bleeding is possible by transabdominal ultrasonography.