Neonatal renal venous thrombosis--a case report describing serial sonographic changes

Neonatal renal venous thrombosis (NRVT) is a serious complication of newborns. Ultrasound is most useful in detecting NRVT. However, there is no detailed description of the evolution of ultrasound finding in NRVT. Here we report a patient with NRVT with complete ultrasound follow-up. Perivascular streaks were first seen at 3 days of age with a diffusely enlarged and echogenic right kidney. Echolucency then gradually appeared over the medulla area with shrinking renal size. Concomitant loss of renal function was evidenced by dimercaptosuccinic acid scan. The kidney became contracted at the age of 1 year. Since the pathognomonic perivascular streaks were present for only a few days, early ultrasound scanning should be performed for every newborn suspected of having NRVT.