PURPOSE: An inter-observer variability exists in the measurement of the renal length during ultrasonography, but dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scintigraphy allows greater objectivity. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the discrepancy of the renal length measured using the two methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2003 and June 2005, 249 consecutive patients underwent DMSA scintigraphy and ultrasonography. Due to the exclusion of kidneys where a photon defect was observed during DMSA scintigraphy, the number of kidney enrolled in this study was 439. The renal length measurements in any plane were longest using ultrasonography. The renal lengths were measured using DMSA scintigraphy by assessing the maximum pixel length, which was then converted to centimeters. RESULTS: The mean renal lengths measured by DMSA scitigraphy and ultrasonography were 8.06+/-1.49 and 6.80+/-1.38cm, respectively. The mean difference in the renal length measured between the two methods was 1.26+/-0.84cm. The sonographic renal length was significantly shorter than that found via scintigraphy (Student's t-test, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results were similar to those of previously reported studies, where the scintigraphic renal length exceeded that obtained sonographically. Due to the possibility of underestimating the renal length when using ultrasonography, clinicians must be cautious when following up pediatric patients using ultrasonography.
Humans ; Kidney ; Observer Variation ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Succimer* ; Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid ; Ultrasonography*

No abstract available.
Succimer* ; Thymoma*

PURPOSE: The diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis (APN) is often difficult, as its clinical and biological manifestations are non-specific in children. If not treated quickly and adequately, however, APN may cause irreversible renal damage, possibly leading to hypertension and chronic renal failure. We were suspecting the diagnostic value of 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scan by experiences and so compared the results of DMSA scan to those of multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT). METHODS: We retrospectively selected and analyzed 81 patients who were diagnosed as APN by MDCT during evaluation of their acute abdomen in emergency room and then received DMSA scan also for the diagnostic work-up of APN after admission. We evaluated the results of imaging studies and compared the diagnostic value of each method by age groups, <2 years (n=45) and > or =2 years (n=36). RESULTS: Among total 81 patients with MDCT-proven APN. DMSA scan was diagnostic only in 55 children (68%), while the remaining 26 children (32%) showed false negative normal findings. These 26 patients were predominantly male with average age of 21 months and most of them, 19 (73.1%) were <2 years of age. CONCLUSION: DMSA scan has obvious limitation compared to MDCT in depicting acute inflammatory lesions of kidney in children with APN, especially in early childhood less than 2 years of age. MDCT showed hidden lesions of APN, those were undetectable through DMSA scan in children.
Abdomen, Acute ; Child ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Male ; Pyelonephritis ; Retrospective Studies ; Succimer ; Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid

PURPOSE: In the diagnosis of pediatric urinary tract infection(UTI), the use of invasive methods, such as voiding cystourethrography(VCUG), is controversial. A retrospective study was carried out to evaluate the necessity for VCUG in assessing pediatric UTI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between April 2000 and March 2002, 70 children (60 boys, 10 girls) with symptomatic UTI were evaluated. All patients were evaluated with renal ultrasonography(RUS), 99mTc-DMSA renal scintigraphy(DMSA renal scan) and VCUG. The results of the VCUG were compared with RUS and similar comparisons made between the results of the VCUG and DMSA renal scans. Patients with both normal a RUS and DMSA renal scan were then evaluated for the frequency and grade of vesicoureteral reflux(VUR) on the VCUG. RESULTS: The mean age at the initial evaluation was 7.95 months, ranging from 1 to 52 months. RUS and DMSA scan abnormalities were found in 38(54.3%) and 26(37.1%) children, respectively. Of the 22 patients with VUR confirmed by VCUG, 11(50.0%) had an abnormal RUS, and 12 (54.5%) patients had abnormal DMSA renal scans. Of the 19 patients with both a normal RUS and DMSA scan, 4(21.2%, 6 kidney-ureter unit) were found to have VUR on VCUG. CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrated that a considerable number of patients may have significant VUR, despite normal renal ultrasonography and DMSA scans. Therefore, VCUG remains important in assessing pediatric UTI.
Child* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Succimer ; Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract* ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

Evaluations of residual renal function and the therapeutic effectiveness in renal tuberculosis have largely been dependent on intravenous pyelogram or Contrast-CT scan, even though, exact renal function are not evaluated with there methads. 99mTc-DMSA is a radiopharmaceutical that is trapped in the functioning tubular cells of the kidney and therefore, quantitative renal function could be evaluoted by ineasuring the counts of renal radioactivity and concomittant evaluation of renal morphology could be passible with the analog imapes of the radioactivity. The authors retrospectively analyzed 99mTc-DMSA scans of 75 kidndys of 67 patients with confirmed renal tuberculosis. We classified the morphologies of tuberculous kidneys as 6 types. We classified the morphologies of tuberculous kidneys as 6 types such as the type with small cortical defect, with parenchymal ulcerocavernous lesions, ulcerocavernous fistula to pelvis, mass-like defects, contracted kidney with ureter visualization, and the type with nonvisualization of kidney, corresponding to the characters of renal tuberculous pathogenesis with abscess formation, ulcerocavernous fistula, and fibrosis, and correspondings to the renal anatomy with parenchyma, and pelvocalyceal collecting system. Their mean residual renal functions measured with 99mTc-DMSA uptake rates were 19.0%, 18.4%, 7.9%, 12%, 4.1%, 3.4% respectively.
Abscess ; Fibrosis ; Fistula ; Fluspirilene ; Humans ; Kidney ; Pelvis ; Radioactivity ; Retrospective Studies ; Succimer* ; Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid ; Tuberculosis, Renal* ; Ureter

PURPOSE: The accurate diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis(APN) using clinical and laboratory parameters is often difficult in children. The 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) renal scan is utilized as a gold standard for renal involvement, and renal ultrasonography(RUS) and voiding cystourethrography(VCUG) are utilized to evaluate underlying urinary tract anomalies. In this study the radiological imaging in children of different age groups, with clinical APN, were retrospectively compared. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May 1994 and April 2002, 375 children presented with a febrile urinary tract infection(UTI), and had a DMSA renal scan. Of the patients, 270 had RUS and 220 had contrast VCUG. The sensitivity of these tests in febrile UTI in three age groups was determined: group I less than 2 years; group II 2-5 years; group III older than 5 years. RESULTS: The clinical and laboratory manifestations of APN correlated better with a positive DMSA renal scan in the older children than in the younger children; 76.1% of the DMSA renal scans were positive in group III; 68.3% in group II; 50.8% in group I(p<0.05). RUS had no correlation with a positive DMSA renal scan in any of the age groups. Vesicoureteral reflux was more prevalent in the older age groups. High grades of reflux(grade IV-V) correlated better with positive DMSA renal scans(p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the clinical and laboratory manifestations of APN do not correlate with the findings of DMSA renal scans in young children. Therefore, a young child with a clinical suspicion of APN should be evaluated by a DMSA renal scan to confirm renal parenchymal involvement.
Child* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Pyelonephritis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Succimer ; Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Tract ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

The vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is frequently found among the patients with urinary tract infection (UIT) and some patients with VUR progress to reflux nephropathy. The presence of scarring at UIT is an important determinant in the selection of those at risk of progressive damage. 99m Technetium dimercaptosuccinic acid (99m Tc-DMSA) is a renal scanning agent provides a good quality of renal image as a result of preferential cortical accumulation. 99m Tc-DMSA scan and VCUG were performed in 133 patients diagnosed UTI at pediatric department of Kyung Hee University, College of Medicine from May, 1990 to May, 1992 The results were as follows: 1) VUR was seen in 27 children among 133 patients with UTI. The incidence was 20.3%. Under 1 year of age, male to female ratio was higher incidence of VUR. 2) Incidence of renal scarring was higher in patients with VUR than those of without VUR. 3) Grading of VUR in relation to age, the older the age, the lower the grade. 4) There is no correlation between renal scarring and grades of VUR. 5) In distribution of renal scarring, it was found to have tendency to develop at upper polar area, there was diffuse and multiple in patients with VUR. In conclusion the incidence of renal scarring was related to the age of onset, duration of UTI and the severity of the VUR and 99mTc-DMSA scan is mandatory in patient with UTI even without VUR in order to detect early phase of renal scarring.
Age of Onset ; Child ; Cicatrix* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Succimer ; Technetium ; Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract* ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

Ten children were selected out of 21 cases diagnosed as ureteropelvic junction obstruction between March, 1989 and March, 1992. The children were evaluated quantitatively using the renal cortical labeling agent, 99m technetium dimercaptosuccinic acid (Tc-DMSA), before and following pyeloplasty. The preoperative residual renal function and the extent of functional recovery were investigated. The children ranged from 15 months to 13 years old (average 6.8 years) and consisted of 8 boys and 2 girls. The obstruction was on the left in 7 cases and the right in 3. Symptoms on admission included pain in 5 cases, abdominal mass in 3 cases, and fever and chill in 2. The subjects divided into two groups. The first group consisted of children who did not have complications or other coexisting diseases, while the second consisted of who had pyonephrosis or vesicoureteral reflux. All patients underwent dismembered pyeloplasty and the results were satisfactory in all. 1. The preoperative differential renal function by Tc-DMSA renal scintigraphy ranged from 0.5% to 46.0% (mean 19.1%) and increased to 3.5% to 46.9% (mean 28.8%) postoperatively. 2. In five of the seven cases with uncomplicated ureteropelvic junction obstruction, differential renal function increased more than 1096 following pyeloplasty. In the two other cases which showed preserved renal function of up to 4096 preoperatively, noticeable changes not observed. 3. In the three cases with complicated ureteropelvic junction obstruction, (two cases associated with pyonephrosis and one case with vesicoureteral reflux) only slight increased differential renal function. In conclusion, we suggest that severely obstructed kidneys in infants and children spare nephrectomy and encourage pyeloplasty, even in cases of non-visualization on excretory urography in hopes of improving relative renal function.
Adolescent ; Child* ; Female ; Fever ; Hope ; Humans ; Infant ; Kidney* ; Nephrectomy ; Pyonephrosis ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Succimer ; Technetium ; Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid* ; Urography ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

PURPOSE : 99mTc DMSA renal scan have been widely used not only for the evaluation of renal scars but also for the diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis. Recent studies have shown SPECT images have higher accuracy than the planar images with some controversy. We evaluated the availability of the SPECT images adding to planar images for the diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis(APN) and renal scar in children with urinary tract infection (UTI). METHODS : 130 children with UTI (260 kidney units) and 22 follow-up children (44 kidney units) were included between January 1, 1997 and July 31, 1999 at Ewha University Mokdong Hospital. Planar Anterior and posterior images and SPECT axial and coronal images of 99mTc DMSA renal scan were obtained with Starcam 4000-i U.S.A. GE at 3 hours after 99mTc DMSA I.V. injection. The data were analyzed by Chi square test after Yates's correction. RESULTS : The detection rate of the acute pyelonephritis by SPECT images was 12.3% higher than that of planar images (47.7% vs 35.4%) by the patient and 6.9% higher also (31.9% vs 25.4%) by the kidney unit. 18 kidney units with negative planar images had focal defect in 10 kidney units (3.8%) and multifocal defect in 8 kidney units (3.1%) on SPECT images, but 1 kidney unit with positive planar image had negative SPECT image. SPECT images were superior to the planar images in 17.3%, identical in 82.3% and inferior in 0.4% to planar image. The detection rate of the renal scars by SPECT images was 13.7% higher than planar images by the patient (68.2% vs 54.5%) and 6.8% higher also (43.2% vs 36.4%) by the kidney unit. SPECT images were superior to the planar images in 17.3% and identical in 82.3% to planar image. CONCLUSION : SPECT images had shown higher detection rate and better image than planar images for the diagnosis of the acute pyelonephritis and the evaluation of the renal scars.
Child* ; Cicatrix ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kidney ; Pyelonephritis ; Succimer ; Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon* ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

PURPOSE: We used technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scintigraphy to identify factors predictive of renal cortical defects in infants <3 months of age with urinary tract infections (UTIs). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data on infants <3 months of age with culture-proven UTIs treated at a single center from March 2010 to February 2016. Blood samples were obtained for laboratory evaluation prior to commencement of antibiotic therapy. The therapeutic delay time (TDT) and therapeutic response time (TRT) were recorded. All patients were divided into two groups depending on features of their DMSA scans. We compared the demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 119 infants (94 males and 25 females; mean age, 56.9±21.3 days) were included. Cortical defects were evident in the DMSA scans of 47 cases (39.5%). In infants with such defects, the peak temperatures (38.9±0.57℃ vs. 38.4±0.81℃, P=0.001), the absolute neutrophil counts (8,920±4,460/mm vs. 7,290±4,090/mm, P=0.043), and the C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (6.49±4.33 mg/dL vs. 3.21±2.81 mg/dL, P=0.001) were significantly higher than those in infants without cortical defects. The TDT was also longer in those with cortical defects (P=0.037). CONCLUSION: We found that a TDT ≥8.5 hr (odds ratio [OR] 5.81), a peak temperature ≥38.3℃ (OR 6.19), and a CRP level ≥4.96 mg/dL (OR 7.26) predicted abnormal DMSA scan results in infants <3 months of age with UTIs.
C-Reactive Protein ; Female ; Humans ; Infant* ; Male ; Neutrophils ; Pyelonephritis ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Reaction Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Succimer ; Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*