Renal vein thrombosis: diagnosis by B-scan ultrasonography

The substantial morbidity associated with renal vein thrombosis dictates early diagnosis and therapy. While acute renal vein thrombosis may present with symptoms and radiographic features suggestive of venous thrombosis the findings in chronic renal vein thrombosis the findings in chronic renal vein thrombosis are often non-specific. A case of acute renal vein thrombosis is reported in which thrombus in the inferior vena cava was visualized with B-scan ultrasonography. Since nearly 50% of the reported cases of renal vein thrombosis are associated with thrombosis of the inferior vena cava, B-scan ultrasonography may provide a simple method of early diagnosis.