Meet the Experts

Dr. Constantino Pena

Interventional Radiologist with Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute

Videos

Anatomy of the Kidney

Dr. Yekutiel Sandman, Urologist with Baptist Health South Florida, explains the kidneys filter the blood. The blood contains all kinds of chemicals and kidneys are important to maintain the balance of chemicals and water within the body. Dr. Constantino Pena, Interventional Radiologist with Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute, says the kidney is a bean-shaped organ and the 20% of the blood flow will be in either one of the two kidneys.

Diagnosis of Kidney Cancer

Dr. Constantino Pena, Interventional Radiologist with Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute, explains to diagnose a kidney cancer, doctors start with an ultrasound to look at the kidneys, because it is a noninvasive examination performed on the skin and there is no radiation involved. For diagnosing kidney cancer, your physician can order a urine test, blood tests, imaging tests, and a biopsy.

Benign Tumor Surgery

Dr. Yekutiel Sandman, Urologist with Baptist Health South Florida, explains if a tumor is not cancerous, doctors can do a biopsy. He points out it is important to individualize care for the patient. Dr. Constantino Pena, Interventional Radiologist with Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute, highlights doctors have a more personalized approach to the evaluation of patients with a renal mass. He explains if the renal mass is under two centimeters, the chance of being benign is greater than one that is larger.

Kidney Cancer: Renal Angiogram

Dr. Constantino Pena, Interventional Radiologist with Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute, explains renal angiogram is a procedure to look at the arterial blood supply to the kidney. It helps to evaluate the kidney for many different abnormalities. He says vascular disease is one of the most common abnormalities. Doctors can also find an aneurysm or dilation of the artery. He points out they use renal angiogram to also treat tumors through the arterial supply.

Symptoms of Kidney Cancer

Blood in urine, chronic fever, chronic fatigue, pain in abdomen or lower back, weight loss, and swelling in ankles and legs are some of the symptoms of kidney cancer. Dr. Constantino Pena, Interventional Radiologist with Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute, says a lot of times the blood in the urine is not possible to be seen, and doctors have to identify it through a laboratory test. He explains others are nonspecific symptoms, and sometimes you may not have symptoms.

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