Power Doppler Sonography In Acute Pyelonephritis In Children: Comparison With Dmsa-Tc Scintigraphy.

Power doppler sonography in acute pyelonephritis in children: comparison with DMSA-Tc scintigraphy. Acute pyelonephritis is a common infection in children. The clinical and biological diagnosis is still sometimes difficult. For most authors, Technecium, 99m dimercaptosuccinic acid scintigraphy is considered as the gold standard tool for diagnosis but it is invasive and expensive. The aim of our study was to compare the sensitivity and the specificity of B-mode sonography and power doppler to DMSA-Tc scintigraphy in acute pyelonephritis.Patients and methods. - Forty-nine children were enrolled in this study with suspicion of pyelonephritis. All infants underwent doppler sonography and scintigraphy within 48 hours after their hospitalization. Doppler sonography criteria were increased kidney size, thickness of sinus wall, vascular defect, and various echogenicity of the kidneys (focal or diffuse hyperechogenicity or focal hypoechogenicity).Results. - Among 28 children with a positive scintigraphy, 15 had a positive doppler sonography (sensitivity 54 %) and 13 had a negative doppler sonography. Among 21 children with a negative scintigraphy, 20 had a negative doppler sonography (specificity 95 %) and one had a positive doppler sonography.Conclusion. - In clinically suspected acute pyelonephritis, doppler sonography has a high specificity. A positive doppler sonography should avoid the use of scintigraphy. (C) 2002 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.