[Diagnosis of angiomyolipoma of the kidney]

It is reported on three cases of a solitary angiomyolipoma of the kidney. The now as before considerable portion of unnecessary losses of organs in the operative treatment of this benign renal tumour should be the cause to critically think over the therapeutic behaviour. The preoperative diagnosis makes great demands upon the investigator. The uncertain radiological procedures including angiography might have found an efficient supplementation in the sonography nowadays everywhere accessible. By this means it is possible preoperatively anyway to make the well-founded tentative diagnosis of an angiomyolipoma of the kidneys. By the rapidly increasing spreading of the ultrasonic examination in future the more frequent detection of an echo-intensive space-occupying process in the area of the kidney is to be expected. When diagnostic references are given it is important generally to think of the possibility of an angiomyolipoma. For the purpose of the necessary histological ascertainment one should possibly use the intraoperative immediate section for microscopic examination. Then the adequate therapy would in most cases consist in the partial resection of the kidney as an on principle organ-preserving operation.