To detect the abnormal shadows of renal pelves and calyces in detail, the author applied a high-voltage photofluorographic technique to the upper urinary tract.
The photograms were taken by 60×60mm serial films using Toshiba X-Ray Apparatus KCD-12F type with rotating anode tube and indirect X-Ray Canon Camera. Some 10 serial films in a patient were taken at 120KV and 70cm distance.
Films of 63 cases were examined, which consisted of plain films of the abdomen (10 cases), intravenous urograms (17 cases) and retrograde pyelograms (36 cases). And the results are follows:
1) Owing to the high-voltage photofluorography, bony shadows and intestinal masses became faint without any enema, evacuant or diet restriction.
2) Because of serial photography, stereographic observation was possible when the position was changed gradually.
3) On the intravenous urograms, if the kidney function normally, the calyces and pelvis were visualized within 2-3 minutes after the injection in the supine position. When the patient took upright position, the media were excreted from the pelvis immediately.
4) On the retrograde pyelograms, so-called “emptying times” of the each calyces and the pelvis in the normal kidney were studied. The times of the upper, middle and lower calyces and the renal pelvis were less than 5 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes and 3 minutes in supine position and 2 minutes, 4 minutes, 4 minutes and 3 minutes in upright position, respectively.
5) Photofluorographic changes in 16 cases of essential renal hematuria were dilatation of renal pelvi-calyceal system (68.7%), reflux of media from renal pelvis to calyces (43.7%), Narath's symptom (43.7%), movable kidney (31.2%), flexion of ureter (31.2%) and sustaind small shadow in one calyx (18.70).
6) Photofluorographic changes in 14 kidneys of nephroptosis were flexion of ureter (100%), dilatation of renal pelvi-calyceal system (71.4%), Narath's symptom (64.2%), rotation of the kidney (50%) and reflux of media from renal pelvis to calyces (21.4%).
