Early detection of nephropathy in childhood urinary tract infection.

Early detection and treatment of nephropathy in childhood urinary tract infection is important for the planning of treatment and supervision. In patients without abnormalities of calyces or defects of kidney outline standardized measurements of the thickness of the parenchyma at three sites on each kidney are more informative in establishing early affection of the kidney than other measurable parameters available. The majority of patients who will develop focal renal scarring can be identified early after their first symptomatic infection from measurement of the appropriate dimensions of the parenchyma.