The role of right heart angiography in the management of selected cases

Abstract

Three cases of Wilms' tumor with inferior vena cava involvement are presented. All three cases were shown to have nonvisualization of the inferior vena cava on the initial intravenous pyelogram obtained by internal saphenous vein injection. The first case ended fatally, due primarily to delay in diagnosing extension of the tumor into the right atrium. There was no cardiac involvement in the other two cases, both of which were managed successfully. A right heart angiogram demonstrated intraatrial tumor in the first case and helped to identify the presence and extent of caval involvment in the other two. It is recommended that right heart angiography be performed in those cases of Wilms' tumor where the inferior vena cavagram shows non-visualization of the cava or suggests the presences of intraluminal tumor. The immediate availability of two separate surgical teams in the management of such cases is suggested.