Intravenous urography in children: is routine tomography useful?

We have evaluated the usefulness of routine nephrotomography in pediatric uroradiology. We reviewed all of the intravenous urograms done on children under 12 years of age, over a period of 18 months. In only 13 of 81 examinations (16%) was additional information obtained from tomography. It made no difference whether the patient could or could not cooperate during the study. In view of the cost of the extra films and the increase in radiation exposure, we therefore concluded that routine nephrotomography in pediatric intravenous urography is not indicated.