[Role of computerized tomography in the diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract].

Purpose: To evaluate the computed tomography (CT) semiological criteria used in the diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract.

Materials And Methods: 26 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract underwent preoperative CT. In all cases nephroureterectomy was performed and CT and histopathologic findings were compared.

Results: 16 tumors were infiltrative and 10 tumors were sessile. The smallest tumour had 7 mm diameter and the largest one 13 cm. Associated focal hydronephrosis appeared in 11 cases and diffuse hydronephrosis in 7 cases. The vast majority of these tumors (69.23%) had a 21 to 50 Hounsfield Units enhancement.

Conclusions: CT is a powerful tool to diagnose transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract when data acquired in intravenous urography and echography are equivocal.