Preoperative staging of renal cell carcinoma with caval thrombus: is staging in MRI justified? Prospective histopathological correlated study

To evaluate whether MRI is usefull in staging renal cell carcinomas with ca val thrombus the accuracy of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonanc e imaging (MRI) in staging renal tumors with caval thrombus were preoperati vely examined. Tumor staging by CT and MR imaging were correlated with hist opathological tumor stadium. In MRI 4 out of 7 thrombi were correctly diagn osed with high accuracy, in CT none. In advanced renal carcinoma MRI with G adolinium was superior to CT imaging, especially in diagnosing tumor thromb us. Consequently the extent of tumor thrombus may be assessed by MRI which therefore may replace conventional cavography.