Renal carbuncle: early diagnosis by retroperitoneal ultrasound

The diagnosis of renal carbuncle has been prolonged from the time of onset of symptoms to the institution of treatment producing a significant rate of mortality. The use of retroperitoneal ultrasound is demonstrated as a noninvasive method for making an earlier diagnosis of renal carbuncle than has been afforded by more conventional means. This report illustrates the technique of nephrosonography and briefly reviews the medical and surgical approaches to this disorder. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case wherein ultrasound, and not pyelography, demonstrated a carbuncle without the aid of invasive arteriography.