Retrograde filling of the renal vein on computerized tomography for blunt renal trauma: an indicator of renal artery injury.

Assessment of the traumatically injured pediatric patient with computerized tomography has become standard medical practice. We report the unique finding of retrograde flow of intravenous contrast material into the renal vein as a diagnostic indicator of traumatic renal artery injury. With the increasing use of high-speed computerized tomography as the initial study to evaluate and stage blunt abdominal trauma, this finding may assist the physician in the early diagnosis of severe renovascular injury.