Sonography as a substitute for excretory urography in children with urinary tract infection.

The possibility was explored of substituting renal sonography for excretory urography in children with urinary tract infection. Seventy-one patients were studied prospectively with voiding cystourethrography, sonography, and excretory urography; each examination was reviewed independently and without knowledge of the results of the others. Compared with urography the sensitivity and specificity of sonography was 100% and 51%, respectively, provided sonograms were of good technical quality. In a few instances, however, focal renal parenchymal scars were clearly seen only on urography. The findings suggest that in the absence of vesicoureteral reflux children with urinary tract infection should be studied with sonography. No further study is needed if a good-quality sonogram is within normal limits. In the presence of vesicoureteral reflux, however, or a suspicious or abnormal sonogram, excretory urography appears to be still necessary, at least at the present level of knowledge and technical expertise.