[Small fat-containing focal renal lesions: echographic and CT aspects]

The discovery of a small fat-containing intraparenchymal renal mass on ultrasonography (US) or computed tomography (CT) poses a problem in diagnosis and patient management. Small lipomas of the kidney were detected by ultrasonography and CT in seven patients. In all patients the lesions were found by chance. No patients underwent surgery. These fat-containing nodules are not an uncommon finding at routine autopsy. Follow-up studies showed no change in the size of the lesions. These lesions do not show growth and surgical intervention does not seem to be indicated. This report demonstrates the capability of US and CT in the detection and diagnosis of these small islands of fat-containing tissue within the renal parenchyma.