Evaluation of Renal Scarring by Using Ultrasound and Renal Scintigraphy

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to compare the value of renal ultrasonography and cortical scintigraphy with technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) in detecting renal cortical scars in urinary tract infection (UTI) patients . Renal Scintigraphy (Tc99m - DMSA scan) and Ultrasonography studies were done in 60 children who were referred to the nuclear medicine department in Fujairah hospital between Jun 2014 and May 2015 because of documented urinary tract infection (UTI). Outcomes of both modalities were compared, with focus on renal scarring. Renal scarring detection rates of Tc-DMSA scan and Ultrasonography were compared. In total, 60 patients underwent both renal scintigraphy and ultrasonography; more scars were seen on DMSA scintigraphy than on ultrasonography: 55% versus 15% of patients. The ultrasonography was difficult to interpret, which mean many more scars were missed on ultrasonography compared with easily interpretable DMSA scintigraphy images. In children with urinary tract infection (UTI), ultrasonography compared with DMSA scintigraphy, renal scars are often missed, especially when the ultrasound is difficult to interpret. In this study, Tc-DMSA scan detected scars in 30% of kidneys reported to be normal on ultrasound. Ultrasonography was found to be an inappropriate study in the detection of renal parenchymal scars.