The Investigation of Painless Haematuria- a Comparison of Intravenous Urography and DMSA Scintigraphy

In order to test in a prospective study the suggestion that there should be a shift from the intravenous urogram to DMSA scintigraphy for the diagnosis of suspected renal masses, both investigations were performed in 63 patients with painless haematuria. While the sensitivity of both investigations was similar in renal lesions, specificity was slighty less for scintigraphy. These findings, together with the intrinsic limitations of the DMSA scintigram in detecting lesions elsewhere in the urinary tract, lead us to conclude that the intravenous urogram should remain the initial investigation for painless haematuria unless there are specific contraindications.