Cyclic direct radionuclide voiding cystography: increasing reliability in detecting vesicoureteral reflux in children

The purpose of this study was to establish the sensitivity of cyclic direct radionuclide cystography (RVC) in detecting vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in infants and small children, and to compare it to the conventional (one cycle only) RVC. 428 patients (856 renal units) were admitted to the study from January 1991 through March 1992 and all had a cyclic RVC. The age of the patients ranged from 4 months to 7 years. The overall agreement of both cycles in detecting VUR in this study was 45%, the lowest being in detecting VUR I (36%), and the highest in detecting VUR III (86%). If we had used a conventional RVC (the first cycle only), 17 (29%) VUR I, 50 (36%) VUR II and 3 (9%) VUR III, which were detected in the second cycle only, would have been missed. We conclude that cyclic RVC detected 43% more VURs than the conventional (first cycle only) RVC, and would therefore recommend its use as a standard procedure instead of the conventional RVC.