The detection of pyelonephritic scarring in children by radioisotope imaging.

Radioisotope scintigraphy of the kidney and intravenous urography have been compared in 79 children with bacteriologically proven urinary tract infections, followed up over a period of between one and four years. Both techniques were in agreement as to the presence or absence of an abnormality, and the extent of any abnormality present, in 93.5% of the kidneys studied. There was a discrepancy in ten kidneys. Excretion urography has a sensitivity of 0.86 and a specificity of 0.92 in the detection of pyelonephritic scarring in children. Radioisotope scintigraphy has a sensitivity of 0.96 and a specificity of 0.98. It is therefore concluded that radioisotope scintigraphy is the preferred technique.