[Results of angiography studies of the solitary kidney]

Renovasography is better able than any other diagnostic method to distinguish the lack of one kidney from other anomalies and diseases which can give a false impression of this condition. In the retrospective evaluation of the renal angiograms of 3 858 patients, solitary kidney was diagnosed in 170 cases. In 123 cases the tentative diagnosis of agenesia or aplasia was confirmed by intra-aortic injection of contrast medium due to the apparent lack of the renal artery and the nephrographic effect with smooth aortic walls. In another 27 patients short remnants of the renal artery were found as the expression of a thromboembolic arteriosclerotic obstruction and 20 patients had a solitary kidney as the result of a nephrectomy. The discussion goes into the angiographic findings as regards age, sex, side, vascularization, variations of size and additional diseases of solitary kidneys.