Angiographic study of renal vein involvement in renal cell carcinoma.

High dose selective renal arteriography was performed in 62 cases of renal cell carcinoma to study the patency of the renal vein trunk. Arteriographic findings were correlated with histopathology in all cases. In 35 cases of angiographic patency of the renal vein surgery always confirmed the findings. 11 false positive results were observed (the arteriographic diagnosis of venous involvement was not found at surgery). The authors believe that this method is easy and reliable; inferior cavagraphy is not necessary when arteriography shows the patency of the vein.