Roentgenographs: Assessment of Asymptomatic Renal Lesions

Abstract

A protocol for sequential investigation of asymptomatic space-occupying lesions of the kidney is described. The aim of this protocol is to establish the diagnosis at an acceptable confidence level with a minimum of cost in time, money, and risk to the patient. The sequential investigation utilizes screening procedures first, and then secondly, employes more definitive examinations capable of establishing the diagnosis. Past experience with space-occupying lesions of the kidney is analyzed and the frequency of occurrence of specific findings in various disease entities is tabulated to ascertain the baseline information for the magnitude and confidence-value of each of these criteria.