The sonographic appearance of acute focal pyelonephritis 8 years experience.
OBJECTIVE
Acute focal pyelonephritis (AFP) is a variant of pyelonephritis in which single or multiple discrete areas show changes of inflammation. The reported sonographic appearances of AFP are varied but are typically described as being echopoor. The purpose of this study was to review the sonographic appearances of AFP and attempt to explain the range of findings by correlation with clinical details.


METHODS
We reviewed retrospectively the sonographic findings and medical records of 17 cases of AFP. The study group consisted of 13 women and four men (mean age 20 years). Lesions were designated as echogenic, echopoor or of mixed echogenicity as compared to the adjacent renal cortex, and to the liver or spleen.


RESULTS
The abnormal areas were echogenic in 12 patients, echopoor in three and of mixed echogenicity in two. An attempt was made to explain the variation in appearances by correlation with clinical details including the patient's age, the duration of symptoms, the length of antibiotic treatment and the presence of haematuria.


CONCLUSIONS
Areas of acute focal pyelonephritis may be echogenic, echopoor or of mixed echogenicity. Our data would suggest that areas of increased echogenicity are more common. There is no discernible correlation with clinical findings.
Farmer
Kim D
KD
Department of Radiology, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, U.K. kimfarmer8@hotmail.com
Gellett
Laura R
LR
Dubbins
Paul A
PA
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006417:Hematuria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011704:Pyelonephritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents