Arteriographic demonstration of intravenous tumor extension.

The arteriographic demonstration of a linear, striated arterial pattern in the anatomic course of the draining vein is reliable evidence of venous extension by a tumor and represents the supply to the intravenous component of the neoplasm. In addition to its previously described occurrence with hypernephromas, this report documents the characteristic angiographic appearance with hepatocellular tumors and a retroperitoneal osteosarcoma as reliable evidence of tumor extension into the inferior vena cava. It is possible that in some cases, the parallel arteries represent markedly enlarged vasa vasorum of the involved venous structure. The frequent invasion of the inferior vena cava by hepatomas and the importance of inferior vena cavography in their angiographic evaluation is also emphasized.