Hiroko Hara

Department of Radiology, Kawaguchi Municipal Hospital

　　Diagnostic imaging plays an important role in evaluating congenital anomalies of the urinary tract(UT) in childhood. A variety of diagnostic procedures are available to diagnose UT anomalies, including abdominal radiography, excretory urography(EU), ultrasonography(US), multidetector-row CT(MDCT), MRI, MR urography(MRU), and nuclear medicine. This article provides a brief review of each diagnostic procedure.
　　US is the most widely used initial examination of the UT in children. The development of US, MDCT and MRI have substantially diminished the role of EU and abdominal radiography in pediatric uroradiology. The primary role of voiding cystourethrography(VCUG) is in detecting vesicoureteral reflux(VUR), anatomic details, and the pathophysiology of the bladder and urethra. Radionuclide renal studies are used to assess various renal functions and structures. The development of rapid sequence MRI, with better resolution has been increasingly useful for evaluation of UT anomalies. The advantage of MRU has facilitated the assessment of both function and morphology of UT anomalies. It is expected that MRU will become an important tool in the diagnostic work-up of UT pathologies in infants and children.

Keywords：Urinary tract, Diagnostic imaging, Children