Abstract
Left renal vein (LRV) obstruction may result from retroperitoneal spread of nonrenal malignancy. Whereas, heretofore, renal venography has been necessary to confirm such an obstruction, computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography (US) are presently the noninvasive imaging modalities of choice to substantiate the diagnosis. In 7 patients with LRV obstruction associated with carcinoma of the pancreas or lung or lymphoma, excretory urography (EU) demonstrated slight enlargement of the left kidney with attenuation of its pyelocalyceal system. Two patients showed ureteral notching. CT, performed in 6 patients, revealed retroperitoneal mass adjacent to the LRV in 5 and LRV dilatation in 3. Small round or tubular densities representing collateral veins were visualized medial to the left kidney in 3 patients. US, performed in 3 patients, revealed a generalized increase in renal parenchymal echogenicity, a mass adjacent to the LRV in 2 and an LRV clot in 1.
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