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Ultrasound screening of healthy infants for urinary tract abnormalities
J M Steinhart1, J P Kuhn, B Eisenberg
1Radiology Department, Children's Hospital, Buffalo.
Pediatrics
|October 1, 1988
Insights
Screening renal ultrasound studies detected significant urinary tract abnormalities in apparently healthy infants. The study found a 1.37% incidence of uropathology requiring surgery in infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric nephrology
- Diagnostic imaging in infants
- Congenital urinary tract abnormalities
Background:
- Urinary tract abnormalities (UTAs) are common congenital conditions in infants.
- Early detection of UTAs is crucial for preventing renal damage and long-term complications.
- Screening protocols aim to identify asymptomatic UTAs in high-risk or general infant populations.
Observation:
- This study investigated the incidence of silent but significant UTAs in apparently healthy infants.
- Renal ultrasound screening was employed as the primary diagnostic tool.
- A cohort of 437 healthy infants underwent screening.
Findings:
- Six infants (1.37%) were diagnosed with uropathology requiring surgical intervention.
- This equates to approximately one in every 73 infants screened.
- The identified abnormalities were significant enough to warrant immediate surgical correction.
Implications:
- Screening renal ultrasound is effective in detecting clinically significant, asymptomatic UTAs in infants.
- These findings support the utility of targeted or universal screening for UTAs in neonates and infants.
- Early surgical intervention, facilitated by screening, can improve outcomes and prevent renal sequelae.
Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to determine the incidence of silent but significant urinary tract abnormalities that might be detected by screening renal ultrasound studies of apparently healthy infants. Of 437 babies studied, six were found to have uropathology severe enough to warrant surgery for an incidence of 1.37% or one of every 73 babies studied.