Pseudo kidney, diagnostic accelerator in geriatric patient with blood-dripping anemia

Background and aims In the geriatric patient, with blood-dripping anemia, gastrointestinal neoplasms are often diagnosed belately. In the advanced phase, the ultrasound shows a "mass" characterized by a central hyperechoic region (air), surrounded by a peripheral hypoechoic region (parietal segmental thickening) with a reform appearance called "pseudo kidney" 1, 2 . The purpose of our study is to assess whether the systematic research of the pseudo kidney can change the diagnostic process. Materials and Methods The study was conducted on 44 patients, hospitalized in the UOC of Medicinal interna Dea, in the period between 1/7/2021 and 30/3/2023. They underwent ultrasound examination for the research of pseudo kidney patients presenting at entry nonhomogeneous clinical pictures of chronic blood loss anemia All the cases, submitted to ultrasound bedside of the gastrointestinal tract, have carried out endoscopic investigation to complete the diagnostic process. Results The study showed the presence of pseudo kidney at the level of the colic tract in 14 patients (34%) who underwent bedside ultrasound examination. The colonoscopy performed as the first endoscopic survey compared to EGDS, confirmed in 100% of cases the location and diagnosis of neoplasia. Discussion From the data from our study, it can be assumed than in the geriatric patient, with a picture of chronic dripping anemia, systematic research of ultrasound pseudo kidney sign may determine a better clinical classification and accelerate the diagnostic process. References 1. Luz H Petzoldt R(1976) Ultrasonic patterns of space-occupying lesion of the stomach and the intestine. Ultasound Med Biol 2: 129-132 2. Anderson (1999) the pseudokidney sign. Radiology 211:395-397

PDF HTML