[Tumor invasion of the vena cava inferior in adrenal carcinomas. The preoperative diagnosis].

Tumour invasion of the inferior vena cava from an adrenal carcinoma is not a contraindication to surgical treatment. Pre-operative recognition of the situation is of considerable importance for planning the surgical procedure. Three patients with primary adrenal carcinomas are reported, in whom tumour in the cava was demonstrated by real time and duplex sonography. Sonography proved superior to CT in these cases.