Incidental Clinically Important Extraurinary Findings at MDCT Urography for Hematuria Evaluation: Prevalence in 1209 Consecutive Examinations

The purpose of this study is to describe the prevalence and the characteristics of clinically important incidental extraurinary findings detected at MDCT urography performed for hematuria. A computer search of CT reports using the term "hematuria" identified 1209 reports of patients who had undergone MDCT urography. The results were retrospectively reviewed to determine unsuspected extraurinary findings that are clinically important or potentially important, warranting further imaging studies or medical or surgical intervention. We further categorized these important findings as acute (i.e., requiring immediate medical attention) or nonacute (i.e., requiring further evaluation in a nonurgent manner). By use of our electronic medical records, these findings were correlated to histologic diagnosis, further imaging evaluation, and clinical information. In 82 of 1209 patients (6.8%), 85 clinically important incidental extraurinary findings were identified. Follow-up evaluation was available for 43 of 85 (50.6%) findings by histologic diagnosis (n = 9), imaging evaluation (n = 31), or clinical information (n = 3). There were 11 (0.9%) examinations with acute findings, of which acute inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreaticobiliary system were the most common. Seventy-two (5.9%) examinations revealed 74 nonacute but important findings. Lung nodules were the most prevalent, followed by intraabdominal aneurysms and cystic ovarian masses. There were five (0.4%) histologically proven malignant neoplasms. The prevalence of clinically important incidental extraurinary findings at MDCT urography performed for hematuria was 6.8%.