Conservative nephrolithiasis treatment in pediatrie age

At the Urological Institute of Padua University, from January 1985 to February 1990, 38 children with nephrolithiasis were treated with PCNL, ESWL or URS, for a total of 40 renal units. Stone-free status was achieved in 13/14 renal units treated with PCNL, in 15/22 renal units treated with ESWL. A retreatment with ESWL was necessary in 4 cases. Our follow up ranges from 3 to 42 months with an average of 30 months.

Echography in vena cava invasion from renal tumors

The last 4 cases of our case series of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with caval or cavo-atrial invasion were studied by ultrasonography (US), computerized tomography (CT scan), arteriography (AG) and venocavography (VC) (inferior and/or superior). A comparison is made with these different methods, with particular emphasis on (US). The authors' conclusions are that ultrasound may replace anterograde inferior cavography in the evaluation of thrombotic extension and, in addition, it seems to be capable of eliminating the false-positives or -negatives of this method. AG and VC are no longer necessary to determine the cavo-atrial extension of a tumor thrombus from RCC when US and CT scan are available and are correctly integrated.

CT appearance of generalized von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis

Two cases of von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis (VRN) with thoracic and abdominal involvement are described. Computed tomography demonstrated the typical lesions of this disease: meningoceles, neurofibromas, and skeletal alterations. In both cases lesion morphology and location were similar and characteristic, in particular in the pelvic region. Computed tomography findings in generalized VRN are sufficiently characteristic to be considered diagnostic for this disease.

CT demonstration of portal and superior mesenteric vein thrombosis in hepatocellular carcinoma

Three cases of hepatocellular carcinoma in which computed tomography (CT) demonstrated thrombosis of the portal vein are reported. In one patient, extension of the thrombus into the superior mesenteric vein was identified as well. The outstanding CT features of portal vein thrombosis were: (a) enlargement of the vein, (b) intraluminal low density area, and (c) hyperdense peripheral ring due to the enhancement of the venous wall. These findings may be useful in differentiating hepatocellular carcinoma from hepatic metastases.