[Recommended diagnostic imaging tests in urinary tract infections]

The present article reviews the scientific evidence available on diagnostic imaging tests in urinary tract infections in childhood. There is sufficient information on the technical validity of the various imaging tests. Through calculating probabilities, this information can be used in the process of diagnostic decision making. Nevertheless, the diagnostic yield offered by these tests is unclear; some of the estimations of costs, efficacy and risks suggest that certain diagnoses have little clinical importance. The current strategy of routine use of imaging tests should probably be replaced by an individually-tailored approach, in which tests are indicated by taking into account the information available at each stage of the process, patients' and relatives' opinions, and clinicians' judgment on the probability of the diagnoses and the risks and benefits of each test.