title: [Ultrasound assessment in renal infections].
abstract: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common clinical problem, especially among women. Ultrasound assessment is indicated in case of complicated UTIs, in particular in children, pregnant women and patients with chronic kidney disease. Even though B-mode imaging alone is rarely diagnostic in case of particular kidney infections such as focal and multifocal acute pyelonephritis, Doppler and power-Doppler (PD) techniques are able to increase its sensitivity. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) further improves the signal-to-noise ratio, thus increasing the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in case of renal infectious disease. Recent studies performed on kidney transplant recipients have indeed demonstrated the high sensitivity and specificity of CEUS in diagnosing acute pyelonephritis. Moreover, ultrasonography is a useful diagnostic tool in case of kidney abscesses, emphysematous pyelonephritis, early phases of pyonephrosis, and in the evaluation and monitoring of echinococcal cysts. Ultrasound imaging is less specific in diagnosing xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis, malacoplakia and renal tuberculosis. Finally, several authors recommend routine ultrasound assessment in HIV patients, given the high incidence of renal complications in this population of patients.
authors.affiliation: U.O.C. Nefrologia e Dialisi, Ospedale San Giovanni di Dio, Agrigento, Italy. antonio.granata4@tin.it
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Granata
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Floccari
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Insalaco
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clementi
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Lullo
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Amelio
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zamboli
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Logias
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fiorini
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology; D011704:Pyelonephritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*