The angiographic evaluation of renal pelvic carcinoma.

Abstract

The angiographic findings are described in 6 cases of renal pelvic carcinoma. An angiographic finding which has not hitherto been emphasised is a diminished branching of arteries in the kidney segment related to the pelvi-calyceal tumour--the "pruned-tree" appearance. This is generally associated with a deficiency of the nephrogram in the same segment. These appearances may be due to invasion of the renal parenchyma by tumour. However, the findings may occur also in the absence of parenchymal invasion by the tumour and therefore do not necessarily reflect the stage of the disease.