Computed Tomography of the Retroperitoneum

1. Case Material and Methods.- 1.1. Case materials.- 1.2. CT techniques.- 1.3. Patient preparation and contrast enhancement.- 2. Review of the literature. Anatomic considerations. Identification by CT.- 2.1. Introduction.- 2.2. History.- 2.3. Compartments of the retroperitoneum.- 2.3.1. Anatomy of the anterior pararenal space and CT identification.- 2.3.2. Anatomy of the perirenal space and CT identification.- 2.3.3. Anatomy of the posterior pararenal space and CT identification.- 2.4. Arrangements of the renal fascia.- 2.4.1. Introduction.- 2.4.2. Embryology.- 2.4.3. Histology.- 2.4.3.1. Review of literature.- 2.4.3.2. Original studies.- 2.4.4. Identification by CT of the renal fascia.- 2.4.4.1. Limitations of CT technique.- 2.4.4.2. When is the renal fascia called normal on CT.- 2.4.4.3. Vascularity of renal fascia: bolus technique.- 2.4.5. Cranial extent of anterior renal fascia: anatomy and identification by CT.- 2.4.6. Lateral extent of both renal fasciae: anatomy and identification by CT.- 2.4.7. Medial extent of anterior renal fascia and its relation to the contralateral fascia: anatomy and identification by CT.- 2.4.8. Cranial and medial extension of posterior renal fascia: anatomy and identification by CT.- 2.4.9. Medial fusion of anterior and posterior ipsilateral renal fascia: anatomy and identification by CT.- 2.4.10. Location of the ureter: anatomy and identification by CT.- 2.4.11. Apex of the perirenal cone: anatomy and identification by CT.- 2.4.12. Significance of fibrous strands in retroperitoneum: identification by CT.- 3. Gerota's Fascia And Intraabdominal Fluid.- 3.1. Hemorrhage in retroperitoneum.- 3.1.1. General considerations.- 3.1.2. CT findings and illustrative cases.- 3.2. Urinary extravasation in retroperitoneum.- 3.2.1. General considerations.- 3.2.2. CT findings and illustrative cases.- 3.3. Acute and chronic inflammation of organs and structures in the retroperitoneal subspaces.- 3.3.1. Introduction.- 3.3.2. Infections in anterior and pararenal space.- 3.3.2.1. General considerations and illustrative non-pancreatic cases.- 3.3.2.2. Pancreatic and peripancreatic fluid collections: general considerations.- 3.3.2.3. CT findings and illustrative cases.- 3.3.3. Infections in perirenal space.- 3.3.3.1. CT findings and illustrative cases in infectious renal disease: acute pyelonephritis, renal abscess, infected renal cyst, xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis, tuberculosis of the kidney, renal echinococcosis and 'chronic atrophic pyelonephritis'.- 3.3.3.2. CT findings and illustrative cases in perirenal abscess.- 3.3.4. Infections in posterior pararenal space.- 3.3.4.1. General considerations. CT findings and illustrative cases.- 3.3.5. Muscular abscesses next to the retroperitoneum: iliopsoas muscle.- 3.3.5.1. General considerations.- 3.3.5.2. CT findings and illustrative cases.- 3.3.6. Infections in the midline.- 3.3.6.1. General considerations and CT findings.- 3.3.7. Miscellaneous group: Perianeurysmal fibrosis and idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis.- 3.3.7.1. Perianeurysmal fibrosis: CT findings and illustrative cases.- 3.3.7.2. Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis: CT findings and illustrative cases.- 3.4. Intraperitoneal fluid.- 3.4.1. General considerations.- 3.4.2. CT findings and illustrative cases.- 4. Gerota's Fascia And Infiltrating Malignancies.- 4.1. Primary retroperitoneal tumors.- 4.1.1. General considerations.- 4.1.2. CT findings and illustrative cases.- 4.2. Renal cell carcinoma.- 4.2.1. General considerations.- 4.2.2. CT findings and illustrative cases.- 4.2.3. Recurrence of renal cell carcinoma after nephrectomy. CT findings and illustrative cases.- 4.3. Renal pelvis carcinoma.- 4.3.1. General considerations.- 4.3.2. CT findings and illustrative cases.- 4.4. Wilms' tumor (nephroblastoma).- 4.4.1. CT findings and illustrative cases.- 4.5. Adrenal tumors.- 4.5.1. General considerations.- 4.5.2. CT findings and illustrative cases.- 4.6. Pancreatic tumor.- 4.6.1. CT findings and illustrative cases.- 4.7. Duodenum and ascending or descending colon tumor.- 4.7.1. CT findings and illustrative cases.- 5. Gerota's Fascia Associated With LYMPH Node Disease of the Retrope- Ritoneum.- 5.1. General considerations.- 5.2. CT findings and illustrative cases.- Discussion of the Results.- Summary.- List of References.