Occurrence of reflux in children with ureteral jets

The urograms of 186 boys and 145 girls were scrutinized in order to reveal the incidence of ureteral jets demonstable during intravenous pyelography (IVP). In this series a unilateral jet was observed in 26 cases and a bilateral jet in 6 cases. Ureteral jets were almost three times as common in patients with normal urograms compared with those revealing urinary abnormalities. The incidence of a positive jet sign, usually unilateral, varies with the employed technique of examination, but the highest incidence in routine IVP seems to be about 30%. Although infrequent, significant ipsilateral vesico-ureteral reflux (VUR) may occur. This fact together with the reported low rate of bilateral jets restricts the value or Unilateral jets being used as an indicator of absence of gross VUR. The need for micturition cysto-urethography (MCU) at the uro-radiological work-up remains unchallenged.