A Rare Case of Ureteral Diverticulum Incidentally Detected During Angiography

A ureteral diverticulum (UD) is a rare urological malformation characterized by the saccular enlargement of the ureteral wall. It can be of different sizes and in various localizations. In the literature, three types of UD have been defined as abortive bifid ureter, congenital, and acquired.

In a 65-year-old male patient, an enlargement was incidentally detected in the distal part of the right ureter on fluoroscopy during the passage of the contrast agent applied during angiography. The medical history of the patient was not remarkable; thus, computed tomography (CT) was performed to investigate the etiology. A dilated tubular structure separate from the ureter was observed in the middle part of the right ureter on CT, clearer in the excision phase. This tubular structure distally connected with the ureter and was consistent with the abortive bifid ureter type of UD.

UD may present with renal colic, hematuria, and upper urinary tract infections, or it may be asymptomatic as in our case. Asymptomatic cases are usually incidentally detected during radiological imaging. Although treatment is not required for these patients, surgical treatment may be required in the presence of symptoms.

UD is an entity that can be asymptomatic until adulthood and may be detected incidentally in radiological evaluations. UD should be kept in mind when the cystic lesion associated with the ureter is detected in radiological examination. Excretory phase CT/CT urography noninvasive imaging method must be preferred to evaluate the relationship of the lesion with the ureter.