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The normal IVU: a trap for the unwary.
J McLoughlin1, J Williams, P R Patel
1Department of Surgery, Ealing General Hospital, Middlesex.
The British Journal of Clinical Practice
|December 1, 1990
Summary
Intravenous urography (IVU) may miss upper pole renal cell carcinoma. Ultrasound is crucial for diagnosing kidney cancer when IVU results are normal, especially in cases of unexplained loin pain.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Nephrology
Background:
- Intravenous urography (IVU) is a standard diagnostic tool for evaluating renal pathology.
- Loin pain is a common symptom prompting investigation of the urinary tract.
Observation:
- Two patients presented with loin pain and underwent IVU.
- Both patients exhibited normal IVU findings.
Findings:
- Despite normal IVU, ultrasound revealed renal cell carcinoma in the upper pole of the right kidney in both cases.
- This highlights potential limitations of IVU in detecting certain renal malignancies.
Implications:
- Normal IVU results do not exclude the possibility of renal cell carcinoma.
- Ultrasound should be considered as a complementary or alternative imaging modality for suspected renal pathology, particularly upper pole tumors.