[Role of helical tomodensitometry in the early diagnosis of renal infarction].

BACKGROUND

Renal infarction is a rare and often difficult diagnosis. The objective of this study was to demonstrate that contrast-enhanced spiral CT in patients presenting features of renal colic, can establish the diagnosis by confirming the presence of infarction of the renal parenchyma.

METHODS

Over a 10-month period, the authors proposed the following decision flow-chart for all patients admitted with clinical features of renal colic: plain abdominal x-ray and first-line renal ultrasound, which, in the absence of a diagnosis (stones or dilatation of cavities), were completed by unenhanced spiral CT scan. When these examinations were normal, contrast-enhanced spiral CT scan was then performed.

RESULTS

300 patients were included in this study, and CT was performed in 40 cases. This management allowed the diagnosis of infarction of the renal parenchyma in three patients, who are described here. When unenhanced CT sections do not reveal any abnormality, contrast-enhanced sections are essential to visualize the infarcted zone, seen as a triangular low density lesion with clearly defined margins and a vascular topography.

CONCLUSIONS

Contrast-enhanced spiral CT should now be considered to be the reference examination for the assessment of non-documented renal colic. This recent imaging modality should allow the diagnosis of a greater number of infarctions of the renal parenchyma, which formerly remained undiagnosed.