Abstract:
Pediatric nuclear medicine, in order to survive, must
be innovative in finding ways of competing with other
pediatric imaging studies for better health care. In this
study a group of thirty-one patients with urinary tract
infection confirmed by clinical investigation, (fever,
pain...etc), laboratory investigation (RBC & pus cell) and
urine culture, were evaluated by nuclear medicine study.
The aim of the study was to compare the diagnostic
value
of
cortical
scintigraphy
using
Tc99m
dimercaptosuccinic acid (Tc99m-DMSA), with two other
routine investigations; the intravenous urographin (IVU),
and ultrasonoghraphy
(US), for diagnosis of renal
parenchymal abnormality in children. The Tc99m-DMSA
renal scan was utilized as the gold standard test for
renal involvement. All patients had Tc99m-DMSA renal
scan, and US, and only 22patients had contrast IVU.
The Tc99m-DMSA renal scan showed abnormality renal
scanning in about 94% of patients, US abnormalities
were detected in about 81% of patient, while the IVU
detected defects in about 87%.
Because the prevalence of upper UTI in children is
high, Tc99m-DMSA renal scan is undoubtedly the available
tool for pediatricians as a guide in giving appropriate
antibiotic therapy and to prevent further renal damage.
The
study
concludes
that,
the
renal
cortical
scintigraphy with Tc99m-DMSA has been reported to be a
useful children diagnostic study of acute parenchymal
renal infections, Moreover, is presently the method of
choice to detect acute parenchymal infection.
