The reliability of the "hypernephroma halo".

The excretory urograms and renal arteriograms of 68 patients with renal adenocarcinoma and 84 patients with renal masses other than renal adenocarcinoma were reviewed. The radiographs were examined for the presence or absence of the "hypernephroma halo." The sensitivity of this sign was observed to be only 6% and 35% on excretory urography and arteriography, respectively. The specificity was 92% and 77%. However, the overall accuracy of this sign was only 54% and 59%. The relation between the halo and its postulated structural correlate, the tumor capsule, was also examined. There was no significant association demonstrable. It was concluded that the hypernephroma halo is not a reliable sign for diagnosing renal adenocarcinoma and that it probably does not represent the tumor capsule.