Mesoblastic nephroma: radiologic-pathologic correlation of 20 cases

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Oncology
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Nephropathology

Background:

• Mesoblastic nephroma is a benign renal tumor commonly diagnosed in neonates.
• It typically presents as a significant abdominal mass, often replacing much of the renal parenchyma.
• The tumor's unique cellular composition and growth pattern influence its imaging characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To correlate radiographic and sonographic findings with pathologic features of mesoblastic nephroma.
• To describe the typical imaging presentation of this benign renal tumor.
• To evaluate the diagnostic utility of imaging modalities in identifying mesoblastic nephroma.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of radiographic and sonographic images from 20 cases of mesoblastic nephroma.
• Correlation of imaging findings with histopathologic diagnoses.
• Analysis of urograms, angiograms, and sonograms.

Main Results:

• Urograms often show large intrarenal masses, significantly larger than the contralateral kidney.
• Contrast enhancement within the tumor suggests trapped functioning nephrons.
• Sonography correlates well with gross morphology, aiding in tumor-kidney relationship assessment.
• Angiography reveals hypervascularity in most mesoblastic nephromas.

Conclusions:

• Radiographic and sonographic findings are characteristic of mesoblastic nephroma.
• Imaging plays a crucial role in diagnosis and understanding tumor extent.
• Complete surgical excision is curative, with an excellent prognosis and no need for adjuvant therapy.