MR diagnosis of haemorrhagic cystic renal cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
We report two cases of cystic renal masses considered indeterminate on sonography and CT, in which haemorrhagic contents were demonstrated on MRI.


METHODS
Spin echo T1-weighted axial and coronal (TR 700 ms; TE 17 ms) and T2-weighted axial (TR 3,000 ms; TE 90 ms) upper abdominal scans were obtained on a 1.5 T MR machine.


RESULTS
Cyst contents were of high signal on both T1- and T2-weighted sequences, indicating internal haemorrhage, which was confirmed at surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a high propensity for haemorrhagic renal masses to mask carcinoma. By distinguishing blood from other contents, MRI had a noninvasive role in diagnosis and further management.
Murray
J G
JG
Radiology Department, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Eustace
S
S
Breatnach
E
E
Stack
J P
JP
D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D052177:Kidney Diseases, Cystic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography