Upper urinary tract washing in the diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis and calices. A comparison with voided urine.

There were cytologically studied 42 patients admitted with radiologically suspected tumors of the upper urinary tract. Samples of voided urine and washing of the upper urinary tract were taken, and dried smears were stained with blue polychrome-tanin method. In all cases, the diagnosis was evaluated intraoperatively and cytologic results were compared with pathological ones. In 42 patients, there were found 34 transitional cell carcinomas (TCC) of the calices, renal pelvis and ureter and lithiasis in 8 cases. Cytology from voided urine identified malignant cells in 76.4% of cases and in washing samples in 97.1%. There were 8 false negative results with voided urine and only one with the upper urinary tract washing; the only false positive result was induced by an epidermoid metaplasia of the pelvic urothelium. The diagnostic value, as a primary procedure, and the importance of cytological method in the follow-up of patients operated with TCC of the upper urinary tract are discussed.