Inferior Venacavography in the Preoperative Assessment of renal Adenocarcinoma

Abstract
Although inferior venacavography is suggested as a routine test for patients with renal adenocarcinoma, urographic criteria of a large and/or medially placed tumor, and/or decreased visualization of the affected kidney were used to select patients for inferior venacavography. Of 235 patients with renal adenocarcinoma undergoing excretory urograms, 64 of 76 (84%) with gross renal vein involvement and 72 of 151 (47%) without renal vein involvement, had at least 1 criterion. All 20 patients with inferior vena caval thrombi and excretory urograms had at least 1 criterion. High dose selective renal angiography successfully identified a renal vein thrombus in 11 patients, 4 with inferior vena caval thrombi, while the renal vein was not visualized in 7 with renal vein involvement and 1 with an inferior vena caval thrombus. Inferior venacavography correctly identified an inferior vena caval thrombus in 16 patients. With the correct preoperative identification in 19 of 22 patients with inferior vena caval thrombi criteria for inferior venacavography are outlined.