title: Multidetector CT urography in urogenital tuberculosis: use of reformatted images for the assessment of the radiological findings. A pictorial essay.
abstract: Urogenital tuberculosis (UGTB) is the most common form of extrapulmonary TB and is responsible for a destructive inflammation of the renal parenchyma and urinary tract often leading to the loss of kidney function. For these reasons, the early diagnosis of this disease, once considered disappeared in developed countries, is very important to establish a prompt and efficient treatment. However, the subtle and non-specific symptoms, often represented by recurrent and persistent lower urinary tract symptoms, can confound and delay the diagnosis. Therefore, an adequate and comprehensive imaging study is necessary in patients with persistent urinary tract infections not responding to the antibiotics and can suggest the hypothesis although bacteriological and/or histologic analysis is required for a definitive diagnosis. In the past years, intravenous urography (IVU) has allowed a comprehensive study of the urinary excretory tract, promoting the knowledge of the radiological findings of this disease. Nowadays, computed tomography urography (CTU), with the implementation of multidetector (MD) technology, has replaced IVU in all its indications; the MDCTU improves the assessment of renal and urinary tract lesions using reformatted images [such as multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) and maximum intensity projection (MIP)]. Therefore, our paper aims to provide a guide for radiologist for searching the classic signs of UGTB on MDCTU, encouraging the use of the MPR and MIP reformatted images.
authors.affiliation: Radiology Unit, Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Prevention, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138, Bologna, Italy. caterina.gaudiano@aosp.bo.it.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gaudiano
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tadolini
authors.affiliation: Radiology Unit, Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Prevention, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Fiorenza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Busato
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vanino
authors.affiliation: Radiology Unit, Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Prevention, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pucci
authors.affiliation: Radiology Unit, Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Prevention, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Beniamino
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Corcioni
authors.affiliation: Radiology Unit, Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Prevention, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Golfieri
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014401:Tuberculosis, Urogenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014567:Urography / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Multidetector CT urography; Pyelonephritis; Reformatted images; Urogenital tuberculosis