Ultrasonography of flank pain in the emergency department: Renal cell carcinoma as a diagnostic concern

Acute flank pain is a common emergency department presenting symptom, and b edside ultrasound is being used increasingly in its evaluation. Emergency r enal ultrasonography concentrates on the focused presence or absence of hyd ronephrosis as is often seen in patients with acute Bank pain secondary to renal colic. We present three cases in which other abnormal sonographic sig ns not commonly taught prompted further investigation, revealing renal cell carcinoma. Baseline knowledge of sonographic characteristics of tumors wil l benefit the occasional emergency patient who has unsuspected renal carcin oma. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc.