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Renal Tumor or Kidney Tumor: Differential Diagnosis
Differential Diagnosis of Renal Tumors
Inflammatory renal tumors:
- Renal abscess or perinephric abscess
- Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis
- Infected renal cyst
- Tuberculosis
- Rheumatic granuloma
Tumors of Renal Parenchyma:
- Renal cell carcinoma
- Renal adenoma
- Wilms tumor
Tumors of the renal pelvis:
- Papilloma of the urothelium
- Urothelial carcinoma (synonym transitional cell carcinoma)
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Adenocarcinoma
Cystic renal tumors:
- Simple or complicated renal cyst
- Parapelvic renal cyst
- Benign multilocular cyst
- Calyceal diverticula
- Cystic nephroma
- Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD)
- Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD)
- von Hippel-Lindau syndrome
- Tuberous sclerosis
- Cysts from the lymphatic system
Renal tumors of the vascular system:
- Hemangioma
- Hamartoma
- Lymphangioma
- Angiomyolipoma
Renal tumors of the nervous system:
- Neuroblastoma
- Schwannoma
Mesenchymal renal tumors:
- Benign tumors: fibroma, lipoma, leiomyoma
- Malignant tumors: fibrosarcoma, liposarcoma, leiomyosarcoma
Perirenal renal tumors:
- Extragonadal germ cell tumors
- Lymph node metastases (e.g., testicular cancer)
- Renal lymphoma
- Retroperitoneal sarcoma
Renal metastases:
Renal metastases are the most common malignant manifestation of the kidneys in autopsies. Common primary cancer sites are lung cancer, breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, malignant melanoma and lymphoma.
Diagnostic Workup for Renal Tumors
Laboratory tests:
- Urine sediment
- Creatinine
- Blood count
- CRP
Ultrasonography:
Renal sonography is the basic imaging tool for renal tumors. Suspicious lesions of the kidney in ultrasound imaging are further investigated with computed tomography or MRI.
Abdominal CT:
Abdominal CT scan is the imaging test of choice to verify a renal tumor. In addition to diagnosis and preoperative staging, the renal function of both kidneys can be estimated.
MRI:
Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging is indicated in chronic kidney disease, contraindication to contrast medium, in doubtful findings in CT or if vena cava thrombus is present.
Surgical exploration:
Surgical exploration of the kidney with partial nephrectomy is indicated for renal tumors, if malignant disease has to be ruled out with a histological diagnosis.
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Index: 1–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
References
A. W. Partin, C. A. Peters, L. R. Kavoussi, R. R. Dmochowski, and A. J. Wein, Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology, 12th ed. ISBN-13: 978-1455775675: Elsevier, 2020.
Deutsche Version: Differentialdiagnose Nierentumor
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