title: [Ectopic ureter with urinary dribbling in childhood -- a diagnostic challenge: our own experience and review of the literature].
abstract: Based on the observations in four girls suffering from constant urinary dribbling we analyzed the special features and difficulties in making the diagnosis of an ectopic ureter. In all patients there was marked diagnostic delay. In one symptomatic case the abnormality was not detected before the age of 18 years. Failure to recognize the characteristic signs and symptoms played a crucial role in delaying the diagnosis. Moreover, imaging of ureteral ectopia represents a diagnostic challenge. The ectopic ureters were associated with dysplastic, poorly functioning renal moieties. Common diagnostic imaging procedures, such as ultrasound, intravenous pyelography, or voiding cystourethrography yielded incomplete diagnostic information and often failed to provide a definitive diagnosis. The latter could only be obtained with MR urography. We assessed the diagnostic value of the different examinations and compared our findings with those reported in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Pädiatrische Radiologie des Instituts für Röntgendiagnostik, Klinikum der Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heidemeier
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kirchhoff-Moradpour
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Staatz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riedmiller
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Darge
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002828:Choristoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D021782:Multicystic Dysplastic Kidney / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014513:Ureter; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D014567:Urography