Preoperative diagnosis of renal xanthogranulomatosis by serial urinary cytology: preliminary report.

The search for foam cells in the urinary sediment of patients with possible renal xanthogranulomatosis can constitute a harmless and useful diagnostic method for this frequently occurring renal disease, which previously has been diagnosed with certainty only by histological examination or biopsy. Of 5 cases studied the search was positive in 80 per cent.