[Are echographic and radioisotopic studies substitutive or complementary to radiology in renal pathology in childhood?]

The role of ultrasound on paediatric renal tract investigation has become established over the last 15 years, showing only with nuclear magnetic imaging the merit of being truly, non invasive and almost certainly free from biological hazards. The information obtained remains mainly static rather than dynamic, anatomical rather than functional. Conversely radioisotopic methods allow functional studies, mainly in cases in which separate functional are requested. Recently some Authors claimed that these two techniques could replace conventional x-ray investigations. Aim of this paper is to report the results of these techniques separately applied in urinary tract abnormalities in pediatric age. Reliability and utility in terms of diagnostic and therapeutic approach are discussed.