Multi-slice computed tomography urography after diuretic injection in children with urinary tract dilatation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the potential use of multi-slice computed tomography urography (MSCTU) after diuretic injection in children with urinary tract dilatation.


METHODS
MSCTU was performed in 19 patients (11 boys, 8 girls, mean age 5.4 years) with suspicion of urinary tract obstruction and dilatation. Furosemide, 1 mg/kg, was injected 3 min before contrast material administration and followed by a bolus of 30 ml of physiologic saline solution immediately after application of contrast material. Excretory-phase images were obtained through the abdomen and pelvis beginning 10 min after initiation of the injection of contrast material. Maximum intensity projection (MIP) and volume rendering (VR) images were post-processed to obtain urographic views.


RESULTS
MSCTU revealed pathology in 16 of 19 patients, while 3 patients had normal findings. Ureteropelvic obstruction was found in 4 patients, obstructive megaureter in 8. Both ureteropelvic obstruction and obstructive megaureter were disclosed in 1 patient, partial ureteral duplication in 1 patient, and both complete ureteral duplication and ureterocele in 2 patients. In all patients, MIP and VR images could satisfactorily show the pathologies of the urinary tract. The estimated effective average doses of MSCTU were higher than IVU.


CONCLUSIONS
Preliminary results of furosemide-enhanced MSCTU demonstrated consistently dilated urinary tracts, obstruction levels, and underlying pathologies better than US and IVU.
Koşucu
P
P
Department of Radiology, Medical School of Karadeniz Technical University, Farabi Hospital, Trabzon, Turkey. polatkosucu@hotmail.com
Ahmetoğlu
A
A
Imamoğlu
M
M
Cay
A
A
Ozdemir
O
O
Dinç
H
H
Koşucu
M
M
Sari
A
A
Saruhan
H
H
Gümele
H R
HR
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D004232:Diuretics; D005260:Female; D005665:Furosemide; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007682:Kidney Pelvis; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014513:Ureter / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014567:Urography / Q000379:methods
D004232:Diuretics; D005665:Furosemide