Abdominal pansonography in the evaluation of renal cancer.

Abdominal pansonography was performed in 34 patients after solid renal tumors were diagnosed. Included were evaluation of the inferior vena cava (IVC), the liver, and the retroperitoneal area. Additional findings including hepatic metastases, IVC extension of tumor, and retroperitoneal nodal masses were discovered in 14 patients. The role of pansonography as a noninvasive adjunctive diagnostic tool for more complete staging and treatment planning of renal cancer is discussed.