Single ectopic ureter: diagnostic value of contrast vaginography.
OBJECTIVE
To present the diagnostic results of contrast vaginography to detect a vaginal ectopic ureter, in addition to investigation with ultrasonography, intravenous urography, and technetium-99m-dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan. A single ectopic ureter is a rare anomaly.


METHODS
Eighteen girls with a single ectopic ureter were treated at the Children's Hospital No. 1 from 1995 to August 2008. The diagnostic studies included ultrasonography, intravenous urography, renal scans, and, finally, vaginography with contrast if the renal scans could not detect the poorly functioning kidneys.


RESULTS
Intravenous urography showed a poorly functioning kidney in 1 patient. Another 10 poorly functioning kidneys were revealed by technetium-99m-dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan, but 7 kidneys were not identifiable using contrast, ultrasonography, or radionuclide. Of these 7 patients, 6 vaginal ectopic ureters were detected using contrast vaginography. All 18 dysplastic kidneys were surgically removed.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the study have demonstrated the satisfactory diagnostic value of vaginography as an imaging technique to detect the dysplastic kidney draining by a single ectopic ureter.
Son
Le Tan
le T
University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. Letanson_54@yahoo.com.vn
Thang
Le Cong
le C
Hung
Le Thanh
le T
Tram
Nguyen Thi Dan
NT
D002648:Child; D002828:Choristoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007483:Iothalamic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D007668:Kidney / Q000002:abnormalities; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019783:Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014513:Ureter; D014621:Vagina / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D003287:Contrast Media; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D007483:Iothalamic Acid; D019783:Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid; C002587:ioxitalamic acid