Ultrasonic characteristics of chronic atrophic pyelonephritis

Six cases of chronic atrophic pyelonephritis were studied with gray scale ultrasound. The findings are analogous to those seen pathologically, namely a focal or multifocal process with loss of renal parenchyma, retraction of one or more calyces, decrease in renal size, and increased echoes from fibrosis. In the proper clinical setting, the diagnosis of chronic atrophic pyelonephritis can be made using ultrasound technique.