Nonvisuallzing Kidney on Radiography

Rhee, Sang Suk; Kim, Kee Soo

Abstract

Although recently, there have been introduced many new diagnostic tools such as renal scanning and renogram, intravenous urogram remains to be one of the most useful method of urological diagnosis. Therefore it seems warranted to review 363 cases of intravenous urograms performed in the department of urology, St. Mary's hospital, Catholic Medical College during the period of January, 1962 to June, 1964. Among others, especial attention was paid to 60 cases of nonvisualizing kidneys. Of 60 nonvisualizing kidneys, renal tuberculosis occupied 27 cases(45%); ureteral and renal stones 13(21.6%); hydronephrosis 9(15%) (metastatic carcinoma 6(10%)and surgical manipulation 3(5%); Wilms' tumor 5 (8.3%) chronic atrophic pyelonephritis 3(5%) ; One case each of renal cell carcinoma, cystic kidney and thrombosis of the renal artery. Inasmuch as the present study revealed renal tuberculosis to be the most common cause of nonvisualizing kidneys, it is felt that one should always consider the possibility of tuberculosis in the diagnosis of nonvisualizing kidneys in Korea. This fact should be stressed because nontuberculous pathology such as chronic pyelonephritis has been implicated to be the most frequent cause of nonvisualizing kidneys by American authors.