Danger of urography in hyperuricemic children with Burkitt's lymphoma

During three years, four patients with diffuse abdominal involvement by North American Burkitt's lymphoma presented at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. In three of these untreated patients, an intravenous urogram showed prolonged nephrograms or tubular stasis secondary to urate nephropathy. Careful attention must be given to uric acid levels and, in some instances, nuclear and ultrasonic scanning may replace the traditional urogram or computerized tomography with contrast in the evaluation of the pediatric patient with an abdominal mass, particularly if serum uric acid levels are elevated.