title: The relevance of parity to ureteric dilatation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether the mild dilatation of the right ureter in women that is sometimes seen on intravenous urography (IVU) represents persistent dilatation after a previous pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intravenous urograms of 71 men, 63 parous and 27 nulliparous women were evaluated prospectively. The two groups of women were divided into those with and without a confirmed history of urinary tract infection (UTI) as the indication for IVU. producing five groups in all. Measurements were taken on both the 5-min and the compressed or release films on each side.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in ureteric diameters among the five groups for the uncompressed right ureter (P=0.23), the left ureter uncompressed (P=0.32) or compressed (P=0.87). For the compressed right ureter, the difference was significant, with the diameters in the parous women with proven UTIs being larger than in the other groups (P=0.043).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a significant increase in the diameter of the compressed right ureter in the group of parous women with a history of proven UTI. Infection or parity alone do not produce this effect: the combination of the two factors is required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hope Hospital, Salford, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mamtora
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D014515:Ureteral Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*