title: [Multi-locational cystic mass of the kidney: a diagnostic challenge].
abstract: Multilocular cystic masses of the kidney present a diagnostic challenge because they may be malignant. Renal cell carcinoma with multilocular cysts has been reported. We present 4 cases in which the preoperative differential diagnosis was between a benign and a malignant multilocular cystic kidney mass. Our results, combined with those of 33 previously reported cases, reveal that only 32% of cases were diagnosed correctly preoperatively. In 21% of these patients the preoperative clinical evaluation did not correctly diagnose malignancy: 24% of them yielded false negative and 21% false positive results. Angiography was more accurate than CT, US or aspiration of cysts. Frozen section was inaccurate in 55% of cases. There is no reliable diagnostic test to distinguish between a malignant and a benign multilocular cystic mass. Invasive angiography is more accurate than other modalities. A therapeutic decision has to be made between nephron-sparing and radical surgery in each case. When nephron-sparing surgery is considered, the possible need to perform radical nephrectomy in second-look surgery must be taken into account.
authors.affiliation: Urology Dept., Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kleinmann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Negelev
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy; D007690:Polycystic Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation