Ultraschall Med 2005; 26 - P057
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-917557

COLOUR DOPPLER ULTRASOUND ASSESSMENT OF THE INFERIOR VENA CAVA IN PATIENTS WITH RENAL CELL CARCINOMA CORRELATION WITH INTRA-OPERATIVE FINDINGS

B Cernelc 1, M Glusic 1, M Mihelic 2
  • 1Clinical Radiology Institute
  • 2Clinical Department of Urology, University Clinical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Purpose: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of colour flow Doppler ultrasound in diagnosing VCI extension of tumor thrombus in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Methods and Materials: In the period from december 2002 to august 2004 tumor thrombus infiltration of VCI was diagnosed preoperatively in 5 patients suffering from renal cell carcinoma using colour flow Doppler ultrasound.

We reviewed the ultrasound reports and compared them with the intraopertive findings.

Results: Tumor thrombus extension into the VCI was present in 5 patients. In one there was also atrial extension. Colour flow Doppler ultrasound correctly diagnosed VCI extension of tumor thrombus in 4 patients and correctly predicted the cranial extent of the tumor thrombus in all 4 patients.

Conclusions: Colour flow Doppler ultrasound correctly detected the tumor and it's extention within the inferior vena cava and right atrium in 80% of the cases.