Incidental detection of renal carcinoma during radiological imaging

The manner of presentation and tumour stage in 16 consecutive patients with renal carcinoma who were treated surgically between 1976 and 1980, and in 37 patients treated similarly between 1981 and 1985, were reviewed. Two patients (13%) were discovered incidentally between 1976 and 1980 compared with 13 (35%) between 1981 and 1985. The renal tumours were discovered incidentally at the time of intravenous urography (IVU), ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and angiography. There were 13 stage I and two stage II lesions, as assessed pathologically after nephrectomy. The tumours were less than 6 cm in diameter. Thirteen of 15 patients are alive between 6 and 90 months after surgery. No patient died of renal carcinoma. Our data have shown an increase in the proportion of incidentally diagnosed cases. The routine use of intravenous urography, ultrasound and computed tomography has led to earlier diagnosis, lower stage and possibly longer survival in patients with incidentally detected renal carcinomas compared with patients where the diagnosis was suspected.