Hydronephrosis index: a new method to track patients with hydronephrosis quantitatively

Area of Science:

• Pediatric nephrology
• Diagnostic imaging
• Quantitative medical assessment

Background:

• Hydronephrosis (HN) is a common ultrasonography finding.
• Accurate serial assessment of HN progression is crucial for patient management.
• Existing methods may lack reproducibility for longitudinal tracking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the utility of the quantitative hydronephrosis index (HI) for tracking HN.
• To establish HI as a reproducible metric in serial ultrasound (US) studies.
• To assess HI's effectiveness in determining HN improvement or deterioration.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 60 hydronephrotic kidneys in 46 patients (ages 2 days to 13 years) was studied.
• Serial US studies were conducted over a 3-year period with maximized hydration.
• The hydronephrosis index (HI) was calculated as a percentage: 100 x (kidney area - dilated pelvis/calyx area) / kidney area.

Main Results:

• 50% of kidneys showed decreasing HN, while 28% showed increasing HN over the study period.
• 22% of kidneys demonstrated stable HN.
• The hydronephrosis index (HI) was determined with 99.8% objectivity.

Conclusions:

• The quantitative hydronephrosis index (HI) provides a reproducible and objective measure for HN.
• HI is valuable in longitudinal ultrasound studies for monitoring HN status.
• This quantitative approach aids in clinical decision-making for HN management.